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1915 


EXCHANGE 


DOCUMENTS 
DEFT. 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


STATE 
OF  IIJOIRY 


INTO 


WAGES    AND    THE    CONDITIONS    OF    LABOR    FOR 
WOMEN  AND  THE  ADVISABILITY  OF  ESTAB- 
LISHING A  MINIMUM  WAGE 


BY  AUTHORITY 


LANSING,   MICHIGAN 

WYNKOOP  HALLENBECK  CRAWFORD  CO.,  STATE  PRINTERS 

1915 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  COMMISSION 


JUDSON  GRENELL,  Chairman. 
CHARLES  S.  BEADLE. 
MYRON  H.  WALKER. 


LUELLA  M.  BURTON,  Secretary. 


>•    I  ) 


ACT  AUTHORIZING  MICHIGAN  STATE  COMMISSION 

OF  INQUIRY. 


PUBLIC  ACTS  1913. 
No.  290. 

An  Act  to  create  a  commission  of  inquiry  to  make  the  necessary  investigation  and 
to  prepare  and  submit  a  report  to  the  next  Legislature,  or  to  any  special  session 
of  the  present  Legislature,  setting  forth  a  comprehensive  plan  and  recommending 
legislative  action,  providing  for  minimum  wages  for  female  employes;  and  to 
appropriate  the  necessary  moneys  for  the  expense  thereof. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Michigan  enact: 

SECTION  1.  There  shall  be  a  commission  of  inquiry  to  consist  of  three  members 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor  from  among  the  citizens  of  this  State,  to  investi- 
gate conditions  and  problems  involved  in  the  question  of  wages  paid  to  female 
employes  with  special  reference  to  whether  such  wages  paid  are  adequate  for  the 
necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  the  worker  in  health,  and  whether  the 
conditions  of  labor  are  prejudicial  to  the  health  or  morals  of  the  workers  in  the 
several  occupations,  trades  and  industries  in  this  State  employing  women. 

SEC.  2.  The  members  of  said  commission  shall  serve  without  pay  and  shall  be 
allowed  their  actual  and  necessary  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their 
duties  while  traveling  within  this  State. 

SEC.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  commission  to  fully  investigate  matters  men- 
tioned in  section  one,  and  for  the  purpose  of  the  investigation,  said  commission  is 
hereby  authorized  to  hold  sessions  in  various  parts  of  the  State  if  necessary,  to 
summon  witnesses  and  require  the  production  of  books  and  papers  relating  to  said 
subject,  to  administer  oaths  and  to  employ  such  clerical  and  other  assistance  as 
may  be  necessary  to  accomplish  the  purposes  of  this  act. 

SEC.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  commission  to  prepare  and  submit  to  the  next 
Legislature,  or  to  any  special  session  of  the  present  Legislature,  a  full  report  of 
their  findings  together  with  such  proposed  legislation  as  will  in  their  opinion 
remedy  such  conditions  as  they  may  find. 

SEC.  5.  Said  commission  shall  as  soon  as  practicable  after  its  appointment,  meet 
at  the  capitol  and  organize  by  electing  one  of  its  members  as  chairman  and  shall 
have  use  of  suitable  quarters  to  be  provided  by  the  Board  of  State  Auditors. 

SEC.  6.  Said  commission  shall  have  power  to  purchase  books,  stationery  and 
other  materials  and  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their  duties,  in- 
cluding the  cost  of  the  publication  of  such  a  number  of  copies  of  their  report  as 
in  their  judgment  shall  be  advisable,  shall  be  audited  and  allowed  by  the  Board 
of  State  Auditors  upon  vouchers  and  bills  properly  sworn  to  and  duly  certified 
by  the  chairman  and  shall  be  paid  from  the  general  fund  of  the  State. 

SEC.  7.  It  is  hereby  declared  that  this  act  is  immediately  necessary  for  the 
preservation  of  the  public  health  and  safety. 

Approved  May  13,  1913. 


PARTS. 


I. — Review,   Conclusions  and  Recommendations   of  the  Commission 
of  Inquiry. 

II. — Tentative  Minimum  Wage  Bill. 

III. — Secretary's  Report  and  Tabulations  of  Information  obtained  from 
Women  Wage-Earners. 

IV. — Tabulations  of  Wage  Figures  Supplied  by  Employers. 
V. — Wage  Showing  from  Investigation  of  Pay  Rolls. 

VI. — Estimates  by  Women's  Clubs  and  Wage-Earning  Women  of  Cost 
of  Living. 

ATT. — Minimum  Wage  Legislation  to  Date. 
VIII.- -Tour!   Decisions  on  Minimum  Wage  Legislation. 


ACT  AUTHORIZING  MICHIGAN  STATE  COMMISSION 

OF  INQUIRY. 


PUBLIC  ACTS   1913. 
No.  290. 

An  Act  to  create  a  commission  of  inquiry  to  make  the  necessary  investigation  and 
to  prepare  and  submit  a  report  to  the  next  Legislature,  or  to  any  special  session 
of  the  present  Legislature,  setting  forth  a  comprehensive  plan  and  recommending 
legislative  action,  providing  for  minimum  wages  for  female  employes;  and  to 
appropriate  the  necessary  moneys  for  the  expense  thereof. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Michigan  enact: 

SECTION  1.  There  shall  be  a  commission  of  inquiry  to  consist  of  three  members 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor  from  among  the  citizens  of  this  State,  to  investi- 
gate conditions  and  problems  involved  in  the  question  of  wages  paid  to  female 
employes  with  special  reference  to  whether  such  wages  paid  are  adequate  for  the 
necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  the  worker  in  health,  and  whether  the 
conditions  of  labor  are  prejudicial  to  the  health  or  morals  of  the  workers  in  the 
several  occupations,  trades  and  industries  in  this  State  employing  women. 

SEC.  2.  The  members  of  said  commission  shall  serve  without  pay  and  shall  be 
allowed  their  actual  and  necessary  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their 
duties  while  traveling  within  this  State. 

SEC.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  commission  to  fully  investigate  matters  men- 
tioned in  section  one,  and  for  the  purpose  of  the  investigation,  said  commission  is 
hereby  authorized  to  hold  sessions  in  various  parts  of  the  State  if  necessary,  to 
summon  witnesses  and  require  the  production  of  books  and  papers  relating  to  said 
subject,  to  administer  oaths  and  to  employ  such  clerical  and  other  assistance  as 
may  be  necessary  to  accomplish  the  purposes  of  this  act. 

SEC.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  commission  to  prepare  and  submit  to  the  next 
Legislature,  or  to  any  special  session  of  the  present  Legislature,  a  full  report  of 
their  findings  together  with  such  proposed  legislation  as  will  in  their  opinion 
remedy  such  conditions  as  they  may  find. 

SEC.  5.  Said  commission  shall  as  soon  as  practicable  after  its  appointment,  meet 
at  the  capitol  and  organize  by  electing  one  of  its  members  as  chairman  and  shall 
have  use  of  suitable  quarters  to  be  provided  by  the  Board  of  State  Auditors. 

SEC.  6.  Said  commission  shall  have  power  to  purchase  books,  stationery  and 
other  materials  and  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of  their  duties,  in- 
cluding the  cost  of  the  publication  of  such  a  number  of  copies  of  their  report  as 
in  their  judgment  shall  be  advisable,  shall  be  audited  and  allowed  by  the  Board 
of  State  Auditors  upon  vouchers  and  bills  properly  sworn  to  and  duly  certified 
by  the  chairman  and  shall  be  paid  from  the  general  fund  of  the  State. 

SEC.  7.  It  is  hereby  declared  that  this  act  is  immediately  necessary  for  the 
preservation  of  the  public  health  and  safety. 

Approved  May  13,  1913. 


PARTS. 


I. — Review,   Conclusions  and  Recommendations  of  the  Commission 
of  Inquiry. 

II. — Tentative  Minimum  Wage  Bill. 

III. — Secretary's  Report  and  Tabulations  of  Information  obtained  from 
Women  Wage-Earners. 

IV.— Tabulations  of  Wage  Figures  Supplied  by  Employers. 
V. — Wage  Showing  from  Investigation  of  Pay  Rolls. 

VI. —  Ksi  iniaies  by  Women's  Clubs  and  Wage-Earning  Women  of  Cost 
of  Living. 

YII. — Minimum  Wage  Legislation  to  Date. 
VIII.     Courl    Decisions  on  Minimum  Wage  Legislalion. 


PART   I. 


REPORT  OF  THE  MICHIGAN  MINIMUM  WAGE  COMMISSION  ON 

THIS  ADVISABILITY  OF  ESTABLISHING  A  MINIMUM  WAGE 

FOR  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN. 

TO   THE   HON.   WOODBRIDGE   N.   FERRIS, 

Governor  of  Michigan. 

The  Commissioners,  appointed  by  you  as  provided  by  Act  290  of  the 
Public  Acts  of  1913,  to  investigate  the  conditions  and  wages  of  women 
wage-earners,  and  to  report  upon  the  advisability  of  establishing  a 
minimum  wage  for  women,  herewith  respectfully  submit  to  you,  and 
through  you  to  the  legislature,  their  report. 

The  Commission  appointed  in  October,  1913,  immediately  organized  by 
selecting  Commissioner  Judson  Grenell  as  Chairman,  and  Luella  M. 
Burton,  long  connected  with  the  Michigan  Labor  Bureau,  as  Secretary. 

The  subject  of  a  minimum  wage  law  was  entirely  new  in  Michigan, 
and  largely  new  in  the  United  States,  and  it  became  necessary  for  the 
Commission  to  make  an  original  and  independent  investigation  at  first 
hand  into  the  whole  matter.  To  this  end  three  different  blanks  were 
prepared  with  great  care  and  used  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  facts 
as  to  wages  paid  and  conditions  of  employment  of  women,  their  ex- 
penditures, and  'manner  and  cost  of  living  in  detail.  A  printed  copy  of 
each  of  these  forms  is  contained  in  this  report.  Early  in  1914  com- 
petent women  investigators  were  employed  to  personally  interview  and 
obtain  this  data  from  women  wage-earners  themselves.  This  was  a  long 
and  difficult,  but  the  Commissioners  believe,  most  important  work. 

SOURCES   OF   INFORMATION. 

Altogether  the  Commission  has  gathered  information  under  oath 
from  1,348  employers  in  200  different  occupations  in  159  localities  em- 
ploying a  daily  average  of  50,351  women;  from  8,512  women  wage-earn- 
ers in  18  different  occupations,  personally  seen  and  interrogated  by  the 
Commission's  investigators,  and  working  in  535  different  establishments ; 


8  '  "REPORT :  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

and  from  62  women's  clubs  in  almost  as  many  different  localities,  repre- 
senting hundreds  of  members.  Bound,  table  discussions  and  meetings 
were  also  .held  with  college  professors  and  others  interested  in  the 
problem  both  academically  and  practically. 

Not  all  of  those  interrogated  answered  every  question.  The  women 
wage-earners  were  asked  how  they  spent  their  wages  and  in  this  and 
some  other  respects  the  questions  were  more  personal  than  have  here- 
tofore been  put  by  State  investigators,  at  least  in  Michigan;  but  the 
Commission  was  of  the  opinion  that  this  information  would  shed  needed 
light  on  the  life  and  needs  of  working  women  earning  their  own  living 
in  whole  or  in  part.  It  is  necessary  to  know  how  wages  are  spent,  and  I  lie 
cost  of  living,  as  well  as  the  wages  received,  before  the  real  economic  con- 
dition of  this  or  any  other  class  of  wealth  producers  can  be  shown. 

It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  few  of  the  women  interviewed  had 
kept  close  track  of  their  expenditures.  Only  a  small  number  could 
state,  offhand,  how  much  wages  they  had  received  the  past  year,  or  even 
how  much  time  they  had  lost  through  sickness,  lack  of  work,  or  from 
other  causes.  Thus  there  was  required  on  the  part  of  the  investigators 
much  painstaking  effort  in  order  to  discover  the  actual  financial  condi- 
tion of  these  wage-earning  women. 

PAY  ROLLS  AND   PUBLIC  HEARINGS. 

In  addition  to  the  sources  already  stated,  of  the  Commission's  infor- 
mation, the  pay  rolls  of  seven  establishments  for  an  entire  year  were 
copied  by  the  Commission's  investigators.  (See  Part  V.)  These  pay 
rolls  alone  ought  to  settle  beyond  dispute  the  question  of  wage  rates, 
if  there  is  any  dispute  to  settle.  They  also  disclose  the  large  number 
who  shift  employment,  a  fact  that  has  an  important  bearing  on  the 
yearly  wage  of  the  ordinary  woman  wage-earner. 

Public  hearings  of  the  Commission  were  held  in  Detroit,  Grand 
Rapids,  Saginaw  and  Bay  City.  And  the  Commission,  upon  invitation, 
attended,  in  Bay  City,  the  annual  convention  of  the  Sta-te  Laundrymen's 
Association,  and  in  Grand  Rapids  one  session  of  the  Conference  of  Cor- 
rections and  Charities.  This  latter  was  addressed  by  Mrs.  Florence 
Kelley,  who  later,  in  a  private  conference  with  the  Commissioners,  gave 
valuable  advice  drawn  from  her  own  experience  as  a  state  factory  in- 
spector and  the  active  head  of  the  National  Consumers'  League. 

The  labor  organizations  of  Michigan  were  also  asked  for  their  opinion 
as  to  the  advisability  and  practicability  of  a  minimum  wage  for  women. 
Finally  the  representatives  of  the  economic  departments  of  the  colleges 
of  the  State  were  invited  to  Lansing  to  hold  a  round  table  discussion 
on  the  minimum  wage,  in  the  endeavor  to  discover  if  the  academic  and 
practical  sides  of  the  problem  would  harmonize. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  9 

The  result  of  all  these  meetings  will  be  found  in  appendices  in  this 
report.  The  full  and  free  discussions,  which  were  held,  always  in  a 
friendly  and  inquiring  spirit,  have  aided  the  Commission  in  arriving  at 
its  conclusions.  . 

FIXING  THE   STATUS. 

The  aim  of  the  Commission  was  to  interview  only  a  sufficient  number 
to  fix  the  economic  status  of  all  women  wage-earners  in  the  particular 
factory,  store  or  establishment  visited  by  the  investigators.  In  some  cases 
this  necessitated  interviewing  a  large  percentage  of  the  workers;  in  other 
cases,  especially  where  the  work  was  similar  for  all  employed,  and  the 
nationality  of  the  workers  the  same,  or  where  the  prevailing  custom 
of  the  workers  was  to  take  all  their  wages  home,  a  smaller  percentage 
of  interviews  sufficed. 

In  1910  Massachusetts  had  445,301  women  employed  in  gainful  occu- 
pations; yet  the  reliable  and  valuable  conclusions  of  the  Minimum  Wage 
Commission  of  that  State,  and  in  which  it  advises  the  creation  of 
minimum  wage  Jboards,  were  based  on  wage  and  other  schedules  gathered 
from  0,900  persons  and  a  certain  amount  of  personal  and  domestic  data 
from  4,G72  others.  This  was  the  total  number  directly  interrogated  by 
the  Massachusetts  Commission,  but  from  a  federal  report  the  wages 
and  a  limited  amount  of  information  as  to  present  and  domestic  con- 
ditions was  learned  from  8,378  women  cotton  operatives,  including 
domestic  data  from  438  families.  Altogether  the  Massachusetts  infor- 
mation was  gathered  from  four  different  occupations  in  18  localities 
and  118  establishments. 

ADEQUACY  OF  THESE  SOURCES  OF  INFORMATION. 

In  1910,  there  were,  according  to  the  U.  S.  census  report  of  that  year, 
186,183  women  engaged  in  gainful  occupations  in  Michigan.  This  was 
an  increase  of  59,660  over  the  census  figures  of  1900.  There  is  evidence 
that  a  proportionate  gain  has  been  made  since  1910,  so  that  it  is 
presumable  that  approximately  225,000  women  in  Michigan  are  today 
employed  in  gainful  occupations,  and  earning  their  own  living  in  whole 
or  in  part. 

Of  the  186,183  women  in  Michigan  in  1910  working  for  a  living,  10,467 
were  engaged  in  agriculture,  forestry  and  animal  husbandry;  61,958 
were  in  domestic  and  personal  service;  28,845  were  engaged  profession- 
ally; 34,567  followed  trade  and  clerical  occupations;  40,011  were  ab- 
sorbed in  the  manufacturing  and  mechanical  industries.  To  this  latter 
division  the  major  part  of  the  attention  of  the  Commission  has  been 
given,  for  here,  if  anywhere,  would  the  necessity  for  a  minimum  wage 

he  lliosi    ;ipl    lo   he   found. 


10  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

At  first  glance  it  might  seem  presumptuous  to  conclude  that  the  num- 
ber reached  by  the  Commission,  compared  to  the  number  of  wage-earning 
women  in  the  State,  could  settle  the  social  status  and  economic  condition 
of  the  entire  body  of  wage-earning  women.  The  Commission  has  not 
attempted  to  investigate  all  industries.  The  endeavor  has  been  to  select 
a  few  occupations,  in  the  belief  that  the  conditions  thus  disclosed  would 
show  the  general  conditions.  Beside,  there  was  not  the  time  to  cover 
the  entire  industrial  field.  And  the  expense  would  have  been  much 
greater  than  any  State  has  thus  far  thought  advisable  in  this  direction. 

Women's  labor,  like  other  labor,  is  in  considerable  measure  mobile. 
Women  are  continually  passing  from  poorly  paid  to  better  paid,  or  at 
least  to  more  agreeable,  occupations.  They  change  from  occupation  to 
occupation,  from  factory  to  factory;  from  machine  work  to  hand  work, 
and  back  again  to  machine  work  of  the  same  or  a  different  character; 
from  the  store  to  the  factory,  and  back  again  to  the  store;  from  house- 
work to  factory  and  vice  versa.  Factories  and  stores  are  continually 
being  depleted,  by  marriage,  of  the  more  experienced  help,  though 
eventually  a  considerable  percentage  of  these  again  find  employment, 
driven  to  it  through  misfortune,  or  bad  judgment  in  contracting 
marital  relations,  or  from  the  pressure  of  living  expenses  on  the  wages 
of  the  husband.  Thus  interrogating  a  comparatively  few,  if  these  few 
were  carefully  selected,  will  tend  to  show  the  social  and  economic  status 
of  most,  if  not  all. 

CUSTOM    AND    A    LIVING    WAGE. 

There  can  always  be  found  in  any  industry  of  any  considerable  size, 
two  classes  of  employers.  There  is  the  fair-minded  composing  the 
larger  class,  who  "want  to  do  the  fair  thing''  both  by  employes  and  the 
public.  There  is  the  other  and  smaller  class  whose  members  have  no 
hesitation  in  making  the  hardest  possible  bargains  with  employes.  With 
them  the  wage  is  not  regulated  by  value  received.  It  is  fixed  by  supply 
and  demand  plus  the  ability  of  the  employer  to  obtain  the  services  of 
women  below  both  a  living  wage  and  a  fair  wage.  And,  in  a  strictly 
competitive  market,  the  fair-minded  employer  sometimes  feels  com- 
pelled to  follow  the  lead,  in  wages  paid,  of  the  hard-minded  who  con- 
tinually "bear"  the  labor  market  and  never  mix  humanity  with  their 
dealings  with  women  employes. 

Wages,  like  living,  is  a  matter  of  custom.  Whether  they  are  "good" 
or  "bad,"  depends  in  a  measure  on  the  standard  of  living  of  the  indi- 
vidual. It  is  true  that  the  sum  of  all  wages  can  never  be  less  1han 
it  costs  workers  to  live;  otherwise  there  would  be  starvation.  Nor  can 
wages  be  more  than  the  workers'  products  will  bring  in  a  competitive 
market,  else  capital  would  disappear.  J>u(  the  standard  of  living 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  11 

differs  with  nationalities,  with  classes  and  in  localities  in  the  same 
country.  What  may  seem  princely  wages  to  one  class  may  be  starvation 
wages  for  another  class.  But  notwithstanding  these  conflicting  stand- 
ards, the^public  is  concerned  to  see  that  the  lowest  wage  is  high  enough 
to  keep  up  the  physical  strength  of  the  workers  and  to  provide  them 
with  sanitary  surroundings.  In  fact,  there  is  a  sufficient  margin  between 
the  cost  of  services  and  the  price  of  the  commodities  produced  by  the 
services  to  enable  employers  to  considerably  raise  the  wages  of  employes 
without  materially  affecting  prices.  Cheap  production  at  the  expense 
of  women  wage-earners  is  not  good  economy. 

THOSE   LIVING   AT    HOME   AND   THOSE   "ADRIFT." 

Wage-earning  women  may  be  divided  into  two  classes;  those  living 
at  home  and  those  "adrift."  This  latter  term  means  those  whose  only 
sources  of  livelihood  are  their  own  exertions,  and  who  do  not  live  at 
home.  The  percentage  of  those  living  at  home  is  very  large — sufficiently 
large  to  show  why  a  self-supporting  woman  "adrift"  has  such  a  hard 
time  securing  a  living  wage ;  for  she  is  competing  with  those  who  do  not 
support  themselves  and  are  willing  to  work  for  just  enough  to  enable 
them  to  dress  well  and  to  have  a  little  money  for  recreation.  When  an 
employer  puts  the  question  to  the  woman  applying  for  a  position :  "Do 
you  live  at  home?"  it  may  mean  concern  over  the  morals  of  the  appli- 
cant, but  it  more  likely  means  a  basis  for  a  wage  to  be  offered,  not 
measured  by  the  value  of  the  services. 

The  competition  between  women  at  home  and  women  "adrift"  has  had 
the  effect  of  sharpening  the  wits  of  those  "adrift."  They  attend  to 
business  better,  lose  less  time,  and  are  generally  of  more  value  to  them- 
selves and  their  employers.  So  the  pay  envelope  of  the  woman  "adrift"  is 
apt  to  be  somewhat  fatter  than  the  pay  envelope  of  her  home-living 
sister. 

WAGES   NOT   UNIFORM. 

An  examination  of  the  pay  rolls  of  the  seven  establishments  given 
in  this  report,  shows  that  wages  are  not  uniform  in  establishments  in 
the  same  industry.  There  is  little,  if  any,  difference  in  these  industries  in 
the  grade  of  work  performed,  yet  there  is  considerable  variation  in  the 
amount  paid  women  employes.  This  seems  to  show  that  establishments 
paying  the  lower  wage,  if  controlled  by  efficient  employers  and  with 
everything  else  equal,  can  afford  to  increase  the  compensation  without 
imperiling  financial  integrity.  In  some  instances  coming  under  the 
observation  of  the  Commission  the  most  prosperous  establishments  are 
paying  \\}G  lowest  wage.  These  are  prosperous  not  because,  but  in  spile 
of  the  low  wage  paid,  for  their  employes  continually  shift,  and  oilier 


12  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

establishments  obtain  their  more  experienced  employes  by  offering  better 
pay. 

It  may  be  said — indeed  it  has  been  said — that  some  industries  in 
Michigan  could  not  exist  if  compelled  to  pay  a  higher  wage.  If  this 
be  true  it  raises  the  question,  whether  any  State  can  afford  to  have 
within  its  borders  a  business  that  can  exist  only  by  exploiting 
women  labor.  Such  an  industry  compels  others  to  support  its  inade- 
quately paid  workers.  It  takes  more  than  it  gives.  Is  it  not,  then,  a 
"parasitic  institution,"  reflecting  no  credit  on  its  owners,  and  increasing 
the  community's  sum  total  of  misery  ? 

Just  how  far  the  State  can  go  in  defending  society  against  such  a 
condition  has  not  yet  been  fully  determined  by  any  court;  but  the 
power  of  a  State  to  protect  its  citizens  from  industrial  maladjustments 
is  continually  being  broadened  by  judicial  decisions. 

NECESSITY  FOR  FACTORY  REFORM. 

The  Commission  desires  to  call  attention  to  the  information  herewith 
presented  of  sanitary  conditions  in  many  establishments  employing 
women.  Too  few  factories  have  scientific  ventilation.  Something  more 
is  needed  than  windows,  which  may  or  may  not  be  opened  in  summer, 
but  which  are  always  kept  closed  in  winter,  to  save  the  expense  of  fur- 
nishing both  heat  and  ventilation.  As  a  rule  laundries  were  provided 
with  good  ventilating  apparatus,  but  most  other  factories  as  yet  do 
not  appear  to  realize  how  closely  related  to  efficiency  is  an  abundance 
of  pure  air. 

Of  the  8,283  women  wage-earners  reporting  on  toilet  facilities  58.1  per 
cent  stated  that  in  their  apinion  they  were  "good";  29.7  per  cent  said 
they  were  "fair,"  which  means  much  or  little;  12.2  per  cent  insisted  they 
were  "bad" — so  much  so  as  to  be  a  menace  to  the  health  of  the  workers, 
if  not  of  the  community. 

Too  much  stress  cannot  be  placed  upon  the  necessity  of  factory  reform 
in  this  direction.  The  factory  toilet  should  be  so  constructed  as  to  make 
it  impossible  to  overflow  or  stop  up.  It  should  be  clean,  neat,  sweet 
smelling  and  cheerful.  To  have  toilets  for  men  and  women  separated 
only  by  a  board  partition  reaching  neither  to  the  floor  nor  the  ceiling; 
to  have  the  toilet  paper  hung  outside  the  door  of  the  toilet  room,  or  the 
toilet  so  located  that  all  in  the  factory  can  see  who  enter  or  depart, 
simply  to  save  waste  of  paper  or  the  expense  of  plumbing,  to  neglect 
to  keep  the  toilets  clean  and  to  have  them  inadequate,  in  number,  is  in- 
decent and  immoral,  not  up  to  the  20th  century. demands,  and  not  in 
harmony  with  the  intent  of  the  State  to  safeguard  the  health  and  morals 
of  its  wage  earning  population. 

There   is    also    the   matter   of    lire  protection,   especially    for    women, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOiMKX. 


13 


which  still  seems  In  he  in  an  embryonic  state.  Sonic  lire  escapes  are 
inadequate  or  badly  located.  Fire  drills  are  neglected,  as  interfering 
with  the  work  of  the  factory,  and  in  this  employes  are  more  neglectful 
than  employers.  While  the  modern  built  factory  is  generally  provided 
with  lire  escapes,  the  fire  drill  is  too  seldom  insisted  on. 

UNEQUAL   PAY  FOR  EQUAL  WORK. 

That  women  should  be  paid  less  than  men  for  the  same  grade  and 
amount  of  work,  and  for  even  better  work,  as  is  admittedly  done  by  some 
employers,  is  one  of  the  anomalies  of  the  present  -system  of  industry. 
It  is  evidence  that  running  parallel  with  the  law  of  demand  and  supply 
there  is  the  law  of  the  cost  of  living  regulating  Avages.  Women  need 
work  as  well  as  men,  but  they  are  willing  to  work  for  less  because  they 
can  live  on  less  and  because  they  can  live  at  home.  Nowhere  has  the 
present  phase  of  minimum  wage  legislation  attempted  to  cope  with  this 
industrial  condition,  yet  the  condition  is  a  matter  for  profound  thought. 
It  wage  earn  ing  men,  in  order  to  eke  out  an  inadequate  wage,  were  com- 
pelled to  do  as  many  things  as  women  do  outside  their  employment, 
they  too  might  show  still  more  inefficiency. 

Table  No.  J.— EMPLOYERS'  FIGURES  OF  NUMBER  EMPLOYED  AND  WAGES  PAID  PER 

WEEK. 


Establishments,  women  employed,  pay  and  ages. 

Number. 

Percentages. 

Establishments  reporting 

1  348 

Average  number  of  women  employed  daily  

50,351 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week,   (50,230  reporting)  

10,898 

21.7 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week,  (50,230  reporting)  

25,810 

51.4 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over,   (50,230  reporting)  

24,420 

48.0 

Employed  under  16  years  of  age  

1,105 

2.2 

The  tabulations  of  the  employers'  wage  figures,  in  Part  IV.,  of  Ihis 
report,  from  which  the  above  is  taken,  must  be  examined  in  connection 
with  the  tables  in  Part  III,  showing  lost  time,  to  arrive  at  the  real 
tin  uncial  status  of  women  wage-earners.  Tew  of  these  50,351  women 
worked  52  weeks  in  any  one  year.  A  large  number  of  them  lost  as 
much  as  ten  weeks  in  the  year  from  various  causes,  mainly  because  of 
"seasonal"  work.  The  seed  industry  is  an  example.  In  the  fall  the 
business  requires  a  full  force;  in  the  spring  and  summer  the  number 
employed  is  much  less.  Sickness  also  claims  a  considerable  percentage. 
Thus  the  $0-a-week  woman,  who  if  she  worked  continuously,  would  re- 
ceive s:U:!  a  year  for  the  52  weeks,  provided  she  is  paid  for  holidays,  loses 
perhaps  10  weeks'  work,  or  fUO.  making  her  wage  for  the  year  $253,  or  a 


11 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


little  less  than  $5  a  week.  And  likewise  the  woman  receiving  as 
high  as  $9  a  week,  if  she  loses  10  weeks,  has  to  support  herself  on  $7.50 
a  week  or  run  in  debt. 

ANNUAL  PAY  ROLL  FIGURES. 

The  figures  from  the  annual  pay  rolls  show  a  lower  wage  rate  than  do 
either  the  figures  in  the  same  establishments  from  employers'  blanks  or 
from  the  wage-earning  women  directly  interrogated.  Undoubtedly  pay 
rolls  show  wage  facts  more  correctly  than  "averages"  by  employers 
or  the  uncertain  memories  of  the  workers,  who  are  more  likely  to 
remember  a  few  weeks  of  abnormal  wages  than  the  many  weeks  when 
slack  work,  sickness  or  time  lost  from  any  other  cause  snipped  what 
could  be  earned  under  favorable  conditions  anywhere  from  ten  to 
twenty-five  per  cent. 

If  wages  alone  are  to  be  taken  as  determining  the  economic  condition 
of  wage-earning  women,  then  these  seasonal  pay  rolls  indicate  a  very 
high  percentage  of  workers  receiving  less  than  a  living  wage. 

Talle   No.    2.— PAY    ROLLS    SHOWING    NUMBER    EMPLOYED    WITHIN    THE    YEAR    IN 
7  ESTABLISHMENTS,  AVERAGE  NUMBER  EMPLOYED  DAILY,  AND  WAGES  PAID. 


Pay  rolls,  number  employed  and  wages. 

Number. 

Percentages. 

Pay  rolls  examined                                                 

7 

Names  on  pay  rolls                                    

2,569 

Number  of  women  employed  each  day     

418 

16  2 

Working  less  than  4  weeks  

1,577 

61.4 

Working  4  weeks  and  over 

992 

38  6 

Working  4  weeks  and  over  who  received  less  than  $6  per  week  for  the  time 
employed  .  .             .          

672 

67.7 

Working  4  weeks  and  over  who  received  less  than  $8  per  week  for  the  time 
employed  .  .                                              

877 

88  4 

Working  four  weeks  and  over  who  received  $8  per  week  or  over  for  the 
time  employed                                              .              

115 

11  6 

EMPLOYES'  FIGURES  AND  STATEMENTS. 

The  Commission's  investigators  interrogated  8,512  wage-earning  women 
in  535  establishments  as  to  their  financial  and  social  status  and  en- 
vironment. Each  one  interrogated  answered  not  far  from  a  hundred 
questions.  These  figures  will  be  found  in  full  in  Part  III  of  this  report. 

That  the  figures  of  wages  agree  with  neither  those  of  employers  nor  the 
pay  rolls,  is  to  be  expected.  They  were  obtained  under  different  condi- 
tions. While  they  are  lower  than  the  figures  furnished  by  the  em- 
ployers, they  are  higher  than  those  disclosed  by  the  pay  rolls.  The  em- 
ployers reported  on  an  average  week,  the  women  wage  workers  reported 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


what  they  received  when  they  worked  a  full  week,  and  what  they  received 
"last  week";  the  pay  rolls  disclose  the  actual  pay  per  week  for  the  time 
employed. 

Whatever  errors  there  may  be  in  the  matter  of  wages  reported  by 
these  8,512  women  wage-earners,  the  likelihood  is  that  the  wages  reported 
are  more,  on  the  average,  rather  than  less  than  the  amount  actually 
received.  The  question  answered  was :  "How  much  do  you  earn  a  week 
full  time?"  As  shown  in  Part  III,  lost  time  makes  a  not  inconsiderable 
hole  in  the  total  of  wages  earned  in  the  year  compared  to  what  would 
have  been  received  had  there  been  no  lost  time  because  of  lack  of  em- 
ployment, sickness  or  from  other  causes. 

Table  No.  3.— EMPLOYES'  FIGURES  AS  TO  WAGES  RECEIVED  WHEN  WORKING  A 
FULL  WEEK,  NUMBER  LIVING  AT  HOME  AND  ADRIFT,  AGES  OF  THE  WORKERS, 
AND  MARITAL  RELATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Percentages. 

Localities  visited 

30 

Establishments  investigated 

535 

Employes  interrogated  

8  512 

Living  at  home  .    . 

6  355 

74  7 

Adrift  

2  157 

25  3 

Receiving  less  than  $6  a  week  (8,424  reporting)  ,  

2,048 

24  3 

Receiving  less  than  $8  a  week  (ft  ,424  reporting)  

4  751 

56  4 

Receiving  $8  per  week  or  over  (8,424  reporting)  .... 

3  673 

43  6 

Under  16  years  of  age.  .  . 

305 

3  6 

Under  20  years  of  age  .  .  . 

3  320 

40  1 

Under  25  years  of  age  .  .  . 

5  919 

69  5 

25  years  of  age  or  over  

2  477 

29  1 

Not  reporting  age  

116 

1  4 

Single  

*7  036 

82  7 

Married  

842 

9  9 

Widowed,  divorced  or  separated  .  .  . 

628 

7  4 

*Not  including  6  who  did  not  report  marital  relations. 

As  bearing  on  the  problem  as  to  whether  present  wages  are  adequate 
to  meet  family  expenses,  it  is  of  interest  to  know  that  842,  or  ten  per 
cent,  of  the  women  wage-earners  interrogated  and  reporting  are  mar 
ried,  with  many  of  them  supporting  others  besides  themselves.  If  this 
figure  holds  good  with  the  total  number  of  Michigan  women  employed 
in  gainful  occupations,  it  shows  that  22,500  married  women  are  working 
for  a  living  outside  their  homes.  With  the  number  of  divorced  and 
widowed  added  to  these  figures,  the  percentage  of  such  women  depending 
on  their  own  exertions  for  a  living  is  still  further  increased. 


10 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


The  fact  that  75  per  cent  of  Michigan's  wage-earning  women  live  at 
home,  and  that  an  exceedingly  large  percentage  of  these  give  all  their  earn- 
ings to  their  parents  for  family  expenses,  and  are-  ignorant  of  how  much 
their  living  costs,  is  among  the  reasons  why  so  many  are  satisfied  to 
work  for  less  than  a  living  wage. 

Table  No.  Jf. — COMPARISON   OP  EMPLOYER,   EMPLOYE  AND  PAY   ROLL  FIGURES   AS 

TO  WAGES. 


As  per  1,348 
employers' 

As  per  8,512 
employes' 
blank. 

As  per  7 
pay  rolls. 

Per  cent  of  women  wage-earners  receiving  less  than  $6  per 
week I 

Per  cent  of  women  wage-earners  receiving  less  than  $8  per 
week I 

Per  cent  of  women  wage-earners  receiving  over  $8  per  week .  . 


51.4 

48.  G 


24.3 

50.4 
43.6 


07.7 


88.4 
11.6 


WAGES    AND    THE    COST    OP    LIVING. 

In  confirmation  of  the  Commission's  opinion  that  today  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  wage-earning  women  of  Michigan  are  not  receiving  suf- 
ficient to  meet  the  necessary  cost  of  living,  there  is  presented  the  state- 
ments of  57  Michigan  Women's  Clubs  well  distributed  throughout  the 
Commonwealth  and  of  5,673  women  employed  in  535  establishments  in 
30  localities  as  to  just  how  much  is  really  needed  in  order  that  a  wage- 
earning  woman  may  live  decently.  But  independent  of  these  figures, 
the  fact  of  an  inadequate  wage  for  a  large  proportion  of  Michigan's 
women  wage-earners  is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge. 

Table  No.  5. —  THE  WEEKLY  WAGES  57  WOMEN'S  CLUBS   AND  5,673  WAGE-EARNI.V; 
WOMEN   CONSIDER   NECESSARY   IN   ORDER   TO   LIVE   DECENTLY. 


Sources  of  information. 

Number 
reporting. 

Under  $8. 

$8  and 
under  $9. 

$9  and 
under  $10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Women's  Clubs  
Wage-earning  women 

57 
5  67.'t 

15 

047 

in 

1  ,250 

9 

854 

14 
2,916 

In  order  that  the  importance  of  these  figures  may  be  more  easily  com- 
prehended, they  are  repeated  in  the  form  of  percentages. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


17 


T.ihlt:   No.   6.— TABLE     BY     PERCENTAGES     OP     Till-:     \V10KKLY     WAGES     f.7     WOMEN'S 
<  I.II'.S    AND   r..(M.-{    WAGE-EAKNING    WOMEN   CONSIDER   NECESSARY    IN    ORDER   TO 

LIVE    UK*' FATLY. 


Sources  of  information. 

Number 
reporting. 

Under  $8. 

$8  and 
under  $9. 

$9  and 
under  $10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Women's  Clubs  

57 

26.3 

33.3 

15.8 

24.6 

Wage-earning  women  

5,673 

11.4 

22.2 

15.0 

51.4 

These  estimates  very  much  exceed  the  actual  wages  of  5,673  Michigan 
wage-earning  women,  as  shown  in  the  table  of  wages  and  expenses  in 
Part  III,  as  prepared  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Commission.  Only  when 
wages  exceeded  f  S  a  week,  did  they  meet  living  expenses.  With  more  than 
half  of  these  Michigan  women  wage-earners  interrogated  receiving  less 
(haii  |8  a  week  and  with  over  half  of  them  insisting  that  at  least  flO 
a  week  is  necessary  in  order  to  live  as  they  should,  the  fact  of  an  inad- 
equate wage  is  established. 

The  gap  between  wages  and  reasonable  living  expenses  is  clear. 
This  must  necessitate  either  a  considerable  direct  expenditure  by  others, 
or  the  women  run  into  debt,  to  the  disadvantage  of  merchants,  of  them- 
selves and  of  the  public. 

In  Part  VI  will  be  found  the  figures,  in  detail,  as  supplied  by  the 
Women's  Clubs  of  the  State,  of  the  necessary  living  expenses  of  the 
average  self-respecting  wage-earning  woman. 

ECONOMIC    IMPEDIMENTS. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  Commissioners  some  of  the  unnatural  economic 
conditions  that  tend  to  make  necessary  wage  legislation  for  women 
should  be  briefly  mentioned.  There  is  a  natural  wage.  Adam  Smith 
speaks  of  it  in  his  "Wealth  of  Nations'7  when  he  says:  "The  produce 
of  labor  constitutes  the  natural  recompense  or  wages  of  labor."  It  is 
only  when  artificial  barriers  interfere  that  wages  become  less  than  the 
entire  produce  of  the  laborer.  When  employers  and  employes  are  on  an 
equality  in  bargaining,  wages  will  hardly  represent  less  than  the  value 
of  the  services  performed.  The  constant  endeavor  of  organized  labor 
to  put  employes  on  an  equality  with  employers  in  bargaining  for  wages, 
has  in  a  measure  increased  wages  and  reduced  the  inequality  in  bar- 
gaining power,  yet  employers  themselves  are  subject  to  conditions  that 
restrict  their  freedom  and  ability. 

Unjust  taxation  causes  economic  maladjustment  and  the  consequent 
necessity  for  employers  to  cut  wages.     And  such  taxation  forces  labor 
to  take  what  is  offered.     Employers  oftentimes    "oppress    labor"    only 
because  they  themselves  are  oppressed. 
3 


IS  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

Much  of  this  economic  maladjustment  and  distress  among  both  em- 
ployers and  employes,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Commissioners,  could  be 
eliminated  by  making  it  possible  and  easy  for  labor  to  employ  itself 
and  thereby  give  to  industry  and  enterprise  an  opportunity  to  reap  their 
full  fruits.  Relieving  productive  human  activities  from  tax  exactions  and 
obtaining  the  needed  revenue  for  the  State  by  the  taxation  only  of  the 
wealth  created  by  the  community  collectively,  would  go  far  to  remedy 
this  condition. 

If  idle  acres  were  free  to  be  tilled  by  those  needing  work  there  would 
be  little  or  no  industrial  distress.  The  wage  limit  would  then  tend  to 
become  what  the  worker  could  earn  working  for  himself,  for  he  would 
work  for  no  one  for  less.  When  it  is  made  unprofitable  to  hold  land  out 
of  use  there  will  be  less  demand  and  certainly  less  necessity  for  minimum 


wage  laws. 


INEFFICIENCY. 


The  Commission  is  convinced  that  lasting  equitable  conditions  in 
Michigan,  or  elsewhere,  will  never  prevail  until  there  is  a  clearer  ap- 
preciation of  the  duty  of  the  individual,  of  the  family,  of  employers  and 
of  the  State  toward  all  the  units  of  society.  Inefficiency  is  a  crying  evil ; 
more,  it  is  a  crime.  Much  of  it  which  is  now  plaguing  employers,  im- 
poverishing employes  and  hindering  the  production  of  wealth  can  and 
must  be  remedied. 

Today,  the  ordinary  girl  leaves  school,  her  "education  finished,"  un- 
prepared to  take  up  life's  burdens,  either  as  a  wage  worker  or  as  a 
home  maker.  Scarcely  grounded  in  the  "three  Rs,"  she  steps  from  the 
school  room  to  the  floor  of  the  factory,  or  behind  the  counter,  so  ignorant 
of  industrial  methods  that  she  is  immediately  a  financial  burden  to  any- 
one who  may  employ  her.  She  must  be  taught  to  co-ordinate  hand  and 
brain,  must  be  introduced  to  the  complexities  of  what  is  to  her  a  new 
world.  Of  course  she  is  inefficient,  and  whether  or  not  she  will  ever 
become  a  profit-making  factor  in  the  business  can  be  determined  only 
after  the  employer  has  expended  considerable  capital  in  her  training. 

This  inefficiency  in  the  girl  is  the  fault  of  society.  It  may  be  true 
that  the  right  place  for  her  is  presiding  over  a  home  of  her  own;  but  the 
march  of  invention  has  taken  to  the  factory  much  of  the  home  work 
formerly  done  by  women.  To  keep  her  idle  is  a  sin,  so  she  follows  her 
work;  yet  to  thrust  her  into  insanitary  buildings  and  demoralizing  in- 
dustry and  push  her  to  the  limit  of  her  physical  endurance,  is  a  menace 
to  present  and  future  society,  and  a  still  greater  sin.  As  to  the  morals  of 
wage-earning  women,  factory  employes  are  not  subject  to  such  temptation 
as  are  saleswomen  or  office  clerks.  And  this  is  particularly  true  where 
the  factory  force  is  almost  exclusively  women. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  19 

1 1  is  unfortunate  Ilia!  the  girl  who  works  in  a  factory  is  placed  by 
society  on  a  lower  plane  than  the  one  who  is  "helping  mother."  There 
is  no  reason  for  (his.  While  staying  at  home  may,  to  some,  imply  the 
ability  to  live  without  work,  yet  that  "working"  should  lower  the  girl's 
social  status  is  illogical  and  demoralizing.  In  fact,  it  is  the  industrious 
woman,  rather  than  the  idle  one,  who  should  be  esteemed  and  placed 
on  the  higher  plane.  But  so  long  as  the  "habit  of  thought"  is  in  the 
direction  of  doing  homage  to  idleness,  industry,  among  women,  will  be 
at  a  social  discount  and  idleness  at  a  premium.  As  the  girl's  hope  is 
that  she  may  soon  step  out  of  the  "working  girl  class,"  her  interest  in 
her  work  is  too  often  zero. 

Yet  for  no  class  in  the  community  is  the  matter  of  efficiency  more 
necessary  than  the  working  girl  who  is  looking  forward  to  a  happy 
married  life.  If  self-respecting  and  self-supporting,  her  chances  of  con- 
tracting a  happy  and  permanent  marriage  are  much  greater.  And  if 
efficient  in  the  factory  or  in  the  office,  or  behind  the  counter,  there  is 
much  greater  probability  that  she  will  carry  efficiency  into  the  home, 
even  though,  at  ILi'st,  she  may  be  a  stranger  to  housework.  And,  too, 
the  efficient  woman  is  in  great  part  relieved  of  the  fear  of  being  left 
helpless  because  of  family  misfortune  or  bad  judgment  in  contracting  a 
marriage.  If  obliged  to  once  more  become  a  wage-earner,  the  old-time 
efficiency  will  be  helpful  in  obtaining  employment  at  an  adequate  wage. 
These  and  other  considerations  will  readily  occur  to  those  who  have 
studied  the  problem  of  inefficiency  and  society's  duty  is  to  impress 
them  upon  this  class  of  workers. 

) 

VOCATIONAL  TRAINING. 

The  prime  remedy  for  industrial  inefficiency  is  vocational  training 
at  the  expense  and  under  the  control  of  the  State.  This  brings  once 
more  «to  the  fore  the  objection  that  the  public  school  system  already 
has  too  many  "fads."  But  it  is  also  a  reminder  that  not  so  very  long 
ago  the  public  school  system  was  itself  denounced  as  a  fad,  and  as 
attempting  to  do  something  that  would  better  be  left  with  the  family. 
The  forward  march  of  the  human  race  has  overthrown  much  of  the  op- 
position to  education  at  the  expense  of  the  State;  yet  conservatism 
still  looks  with  suspicion  on  anything  that  enlarges  the  activities  of  the 
collective  body. 

Vocational  training  would  enable  young  women  when  they  leave  school, 
to  become  almost  immediately  self-supporting.  It  would  save  employers 
the  cost  of  training  beginners  in  simple  fundamentals  connected  with 
business,  which  is  no  small  sum  when  the  matter  of  spoiled  material  and 
capital  put  to  inadequate  use  is  taken  into  account.  And  it  would 
enable  the  wage-earner  to  more  quickly  and  easily  "find  herself."  There 


20  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

would  be  fewer  ''square  pegs  in  round  holes."  This  would  at  once 
raise  the  minimum  wage  limit  without  burdening  employer  or  consumer, 
for  an  efficient  worker  is  always  more  economical  than  an  inefficient  one. 
Vocational  education  will  be  found  fully  explained  in  Appendix  K. 

MINIMUM    WAGE   LEGISLATION   NEEDED. 

Education  is  a  slow  process.  As  the  woman  must  eat  today  if  she  is 
to  live  tomorrow,  it  becomes  necessary  to  bridge  that  period  separating 
present  inefficiency  from  future  efficiency  by  State  supervision  for  those 
economically  unable  to  protect  themselves.  To  do  this,  minimum  wage 
legislation  is  needed. 

While  economic  conditions  with  women  wage-earners  in  Michigan 
are  not  so  bad  as  some  have  believed,  the  figures  presented  in  this  report 
show  that  many  are  receiving  for  their  services,  less  than  a  living  wage — 
even  less  than  a  just  minimum  wage.  Employers  are  not  solely  to  blame 
for  this.  The  demand  for  cheap  production  is  insistent,  and  the  low 
wage  is  reflected  in  the  price  of  the  product;  so  the  consumer  must  share 
in  the  responsibility  for  low  wages  and  "cheap"  production. 

If  a  minimum  wage  higher  than  the  average  now  paid  should  be 
deemed  necessary  by  a  competent  wage  board  in  order  that  women  may 
live  decently,  without  being  subject  to  temptation  to  wrongdoing,  even 
though  it  necessitates  an  increase  in  the  retail  cost  of  the  article  manu- 
factured, would  it  not  be  more  economical,  after  all,  to  help  support  wage- 
earning  women  in  this  way  than  in  breaking  down  self-respect  through 
charitable  contributions  necessitated  by  low  wages? 

A    LEGAL    MINIMUM    WAGE    NOT    A    UNIFORM    AMOUNT. 

A  minimum  wage  is  a  matter  of  detail.  It  will  vary  with  environment 
and  other  economic  conditions.  And  it  will  also  vary  with  occupations. 
To  make  a  common  rate  for  all  is  economically  impossible.  If  the  local 
cost  of  living  is  in  great  part  the  foundation  for  the  wage,  it  is  not  even 
possible  to  establish  an  equitable  minimum  wage  for  any  one  occupation 
that  will  fit  all  localties,  or  for  one  locality  that  will  fit  all  occupations. 
Each  case  must  be  decided  on  its  own  merits,  according  to  the  economic 
conditions  of  each  particular  area  and  of  each  particular  industry.  Nor 
does  this  wage  variation  present  any  insuperable  obstacle.  The  same 
variation  can  now  be  seen,  not  only  in  different,  but  in  the  same  localities 
and  industries.  The  average  wage  now  paid  in  Detroit  laundries,  for 
example,  vary  considerably,  as  they  do  in  the  Detroit  box  factories, 
and  as  they  do  between  laundries  and  box  factories.  If  employers  are 
able  to  prosper  under  present  varying  wage  conditions,  it  is  likely  they 
will  find  less,  rather  than  more,  difficulty,  when  a  minimum  wage  is  fixed 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  21 

for  all  iii  a  given  occupation  and  locality,  after  a  careful  and  impar- 
tial investigation. 

PARASITIC  INDUSTRIES. 

It  is  possible  that  a  parasitic  industry  might  suffer  from  a  legal 
minimum  wage,  even  to  the  extent  of  having  to  go  out  of  business.  Yet 
in  no  instance  in  the  history  of  wage  board  decisions  in  other  nations 
and  states,  coining  to  the  attention  of  this  Commission,  has  a  useful  in- 
dustry been  thus  legislated  out  of  existence.  An  industry  that,  under 
normal  conditions,  is  not  self-supporting,  not  able  to  pay  its  employes 
a  living  wage,  has  no  just  claim  for  existence.  Such  an  industry  is 
parasitic.  One  that  pays  its  employes  only  a  bare  living  wage  during 
the  active  life  of  the  worker,  leaving  the  worker  to  be  maintained  by  the 
State  for  the  balance  of  life,  might  also  be  said  to  be  parasitic.  An  in- 
dustry that  pays  even  less  than  a  minimum  wage,  necessitating  finan- 
cial aid  to  the  workers  from  the  poor  fund,  is  most  certainly  parasitic. 
Worst  of  all,  an  industry  is  parasitic  which  lives  only  because  it  pays 
such  low  wages  to  women  employes  that  they  believe  themselves  com- 
pelled to  accept  financial  aid  from  an  unattached  companion  of  the 
opposite  sex.  Investigation  shows,  however,  that  this  latter  class  of 
women  wage-earners  is  either  an  unknown  or  an  exceedingly  small  per- 
centage of  the  entire  number  of  women  in  the  mechanical  industries. 

APPLYING   THE    MINIMUM    WAGE   LAW. 

It  is  generally  recognized  that  to  apply  the  minimum  wage  principle, 
Wage  Boards  are  necessary.  These  boards  should  be  appointed  by  the 
Minimum  Wage  Commission,  and  be  composed  of  both  employers  and 
employes,  and  of  members  to  represent  the  consuming  public. 

It  is  possible  that  the  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  by  those 
boards  might  compel  employers  to  use  improved  machinery  and  sound 
business  methods,  for  inefficiency  is  not  always  confined  to  the  employe; 
and  it  certainly  would  demand  that  employes  give  value  received  for  the 
wage  that  might  be  determined. 

It  is  neither  expected  nor  desired  that  a  minimum  wage  law  would 
compel  the  payment  of  the  full  minimum  wage  to  beginners  and  ap- 
prentices. The  fear  of  such  a  result  seems  to  be  the  basis  for  most 
employers'  objections  to  the  minimum  wage.  It  would  be  necessary  to 
establish  only  the  proportion  that  apprentices'  and  beginners'  wages 
should  bear  to  the  minimum  wage,  and  a  stated  period  of  probation  for 
each  occupation.  This  proportion  and  probation  period  would  vary  in 
justice  io  both  employer  and  employe.  A  staled  increase  in  wage  until 
Hie  regular  minimum  wage  is  attained,  might  be  provided.  Vocational 
training  should  and  would  materially  shorten  I  he  period  of  probation. 


22  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Working  certificates  to  the  crippled,  the  aged  and  those  who  are 
mentally  or  physically  incapable  of  performing  what  might  be  con- 
sidered a  full  day's  work,  should  be  issued  by  the  Minimum  Wage  Com- 
mission or  other  proper  authority.  Such  certificate  would  allow  the 
holder  to  work  for  a  certain  proportion  of  the  minimum  wage,  and  could 
be  renewed  or  cancelled  as  circumstances  required,  but  in  no  case  should 
it  run  for  a  long  period,  nor  should  any  employer  be  permitted  more 
than  a  small  proportion  of  certificate  holding  workers. 

CONSTITUTIONALITY   OF    MINIMUM    WAGE   LEGISLATION. 

The  constitutionality  of  State  legislation  for  the  protection  of  women 
and  children  is  no  longer  in  doubt.  Court  decisions  upholding  this 
kind  of  legislation  are  now  numerous.  The  economic  proposition  is 
that  health  is  imperiled  by  either  too  low  wages,  insanitary  surround 
ings  or  too  long  hours  of  labor;  and  that  working  conditions  that  injure 
women,  harm  the  State. 

Social  and  economic  progress  lies  in  the  direction  of  good  health.  At 
the  least,  proper  shelter,  the  necessary  amount  of  clothes  for  protection 
against  the  elements  and  sufficient  food  to  keep  up  the  worker's  labor 
strength,  are  requisite.  A  living  wage — perhaps  even  a  minimum  wage 
— must  be  enough  to  provide,  in  addition,  a  minimum  of  innocent  and 
healthful  recreation.  European  governments  have  seen  this  need  of  amuse- 
ment at  a  nominal  cost,  more  plainly  than  have  American  communities, 
for  there  some  amusements  are  subsidized  by  the  State.  And  our  own  com- 
munities, in  education,  parks,  playgrounds  and  otherwise,  are  minister- 
ing to.  the  physical  and  moral  well-being  of  the  individual.  What  the 
community  does  for  the  individual  in  education,  recreation  and  amuse- 
ment, may  be  properly  considered  as  a  part  of  the  worker's  real  wages. 

A 'State  can  rest  on  no  more  just  foundation  than  that  the  wealth- 
creating  class  shall  be  paid  all  it  earns.  It  will  thus  be  enabled  to 
buy  as  much  as  it  produces.  State  legislatures  will  do  no  injustice  in 
enacting  a  minimum  wage  law,  and  providing  for  a  Minimum  Wage 
Commission  that  will  protect  wage-earning  women  against  exploitation 

CONCLUSIONS   AND   RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The  Commission  concludes : 

1 — That  a  large  percentage  of  the  women  wage-earners  of  Michigan 
are  today  receiving  less  than  a  living  wage ; 

2 — That  this  constitutes  a  menace  to  the  social  welfare  of  society  that 
is  within  the  power  of  the  legislature  to  prevent; 

3 — That  a  considerable  number  of  women  are  working  under'  insani- 
tary conditions  that  proper  leirislaiion  will  remedy; 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  L>:J 

4 — That  any  industry  that  cannot  pay  a  living  wage  to  its  employes 
is  a  burden  and  not  an  asset,  and  if  it  moves  away  or  goes  out  of  business 
society  will  suffer  no  loss; 

5 — That  the  causes  of  social  maladjustment  are  not  the  fault  of  any 
one  class,  but  rest  with  all  classes,  and  it  remains  with  society,  through 
its  legislative  power,  as  far  as  possible,  to  remove  these  causes. 

6 — That  the  tendency  of  minimum  wage  legislation  will  be  toward 
the  elimination  of  inefficiency  on  the  part  of  both  employers  and  employes, 
and  the  suppression  of  parasitic  industries.  It  will  make  relations  be- 
tween employers  and  employes  more  secure,  better  understood,  and 
therefore  more  cordial;  will  stimulate  employes  to  greater  industry  and 
more  regard  to  the  interest  of  their  employers ;  will  prevent  wage  cutting 
below  a  minimum  by  less  humane  employers; 'will  reduce  the  number  of 
strikes  and  disagreements,  and  will  compel  employers  to  use  the  latest 
aids  to  production. 

7 — That  no  material  interests  of  the  State  would  be  injured  by  such 
a  law. 

The  Commission  recommends: 

1 — Immediate  provision  for  vocational  training  in  public  schools,  to  be 
supplemented  by  instruction  and  training  in  schools  under  the  direction 
of  employers,  and  by  other  methods  of  overcoming  inefficiency,  as  of  first 
importance. 

2 — The  enactment  of  a  minimum  wage  law  for  women.  This  law  should 
provide : 

(a)  For  a  properly  constituted  Minimum  Wage  Commission  with  a 
maximum  of  power  in  the  direction  of  publicity,  and  a  minimum 
of  power  in  the  direction  of  coercion. 

(b)  For  Minimum  Wage  Boards,  composed  of  both  employers  and  em- 
ployes, and  of  representatives  of  the  consuming  public,  to  be  ap- 
pointed by  the  Commission. 

(c)  For  a  proper  review  by  the  Minimum  Wage  Commission  of  any 
decision  by  a  Wage  Board  as  to  the  necessity  for,  or  the  sum  that 
should  constitute  a  minimum  wage,  with  the  added  right  by  the 
parties  in  interest  to  bring  the  review  into  court  upon  questions  of 
law.  i 

(d)  For  working  certificates  to  be  issued  by  the  Commission  to  ap- 
prentices and  beginners,  to  the  crippled,  and  to  those  who  are  men- 
tally or  physically  unable  to  do  a  full  day's  work,  which  shall 
permit  the  employer  to  pay,  as  wages,  certain  proportions  of  the 
minimum  wage. 

In  furtherance  of  these  suggestions,  a  tentative  Minimum  Wage  bill 
has  been  drawn,  and  will  be  found  as  Part  II  of  this  report. 


24  REPORT    OP    COMMISSION    OF    INQUIRY. 

EXPRESSION    OF    APPRECIATION. 

In  conclusion  the  Commission  wishes  to  express  its  appreciation  of 
the  work  of  Luella  M.  Burton,  its  Secretary,  in  collecting  the  statistics, 
compiling  the  interrogations  and  preparing  the  report.  Miss  Burton's 
many  years  of  experience  in  the  Michigan  Labor  Bureau  enabled  her  to 
bring  to  the  task  of  this  investigation  a  fund  of  knowledge  of  labor  con- 
ditions in  Michigan,  without  which  the  work  of  the  Commission  would 
have  been  much  more  arduous. 

The  Commission  also  thanks  the  field  workers  and  the  office  force 
for  the  conscientious  work  done  and  the  enthusiasm  shown;  the  Pro- 
fessors for  valuable  suggestions  in  the  Round  Table  discussion  held  in 
Lansing;  the  employers  and  others  who  participated  in  public  discussions 
of  the  minimum  wage,  and  the  labor  organizations  in  appointing  com- 
mittees to  give  the  Commission  their  views  on  the  minimum  wage. 

The  Governor  has  given  the  Commission  an  absolutely  free  hand  in 
pursuing  the  inquiry,  and  the  Commissioners  thank  him  for  his  counsel 
and  gratefully  reciprocate  his  confidence.  The  Commission  has  en- 
deavored that  no  dollar  of  expenditure  should  be  wasted,  and  the  State 
Board  of  Auditors  has  interposed  no  objection  to  the  incurring  of  any 
expense  the  Commission  thought  necessary. 

JUDSON  GRENELL, 
C.  S.  BEADLE, 
MYRON  H.  WALKER, 

Commissioners. 

LUELLA  M.  BURTON,,  Secretary. 

Dated,  Lansing,  Michigan,  January  27,  1915. 


PART   II. 


TENTATIVE  BILL  FOR  THE  CREATION  OF  A  MICHIGAN  MINI 
MUM  WAGE  COMMISSION. 


A  BILL 

To  Protect  the  Lives,  Health  and  Morals  of  Women  Workers;  to  Estab- 
lish a  Minimum  Wage  Commission  therefor,  and  to  Define  its  Powers 
and  Duties;  to  Provide  for  the  Fixing  of  Minimum  Wages  for  such 
Workers;  and  to  Provide  Penalties  for  the  Violation  of  the  same;  for 
Publicity;  and  to  make  an  Appropriation  therefor. 

The  People  of  the  State  of  Michigan  enact : 

SECTION  1.  The  welfare  of  the  State  of  Michigan  requires  that  women 
workers  should  be  protected  from  conditions  of  labor  which  have  a 
pernicious  effect  on  their  health  and  morals,  and  the  State  of  Michigan, 
in  the  exercise  of  its  police  and  sovereign  power,  hereby  declares  that 
inadequate  wages  have  such  pernicious  effect. 

SECTION  2.  It  shall  be  unlawful  to  employ  women  in  any  industry  or 
occupation  within  the  State  of  Michigan  at  a  wage  inadequate  to  meet 
the  necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  the  worker  in  health. 

SECTION  3.  There  is  hereby  created  a  Commission  to  be  known  as  the 
"Minimum  Wage  Commission."  It  shall  be  composed  of  three  persons, 
to  be  appointed  by  the  Governor,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent 
of  Hie  Senate;  at  least  one  of  whom  shall  be  a  woman,  and  all  of  whom 
will  be  fair  and  impartial  between  employers  and  employes,  and  work 
for  the  best  interests  of  the  public  as  a  whole.  The  Governor  shall  make 
the  first  appointment  of  such  Commissioners  within  GO  days  after  this 
act  takes  effect;  one  for  the  term  ending  January  1,  191G;  one  for  the 
term  ending  January  1,  1917;  and  one  for  the  term  ending  January  1, 
1918;  and  at  the  expiration  of  each  of  said  terms  the  successor  shall  be 
appointed  for  the  full  term  of  three  years.  Any  vacancy  shall  be  filled 
by  the  Governor  in  like  manner  for  the  unexpired  term.  The  Com- 
missioner whose  term  will  soonest  expire  shall  be  the  Chairman.  Two 
members  of  the  Commission  shall  constitute  a  quorum  at  all  regular 
meetings  and  public  hearings. 


20  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF<  INQUIRY  ON 

SECTION  4.  Each  Commissioner  shall  be  paid  ten  dollars  for  each 
day's  and  five  dollars  for  each  half -day's  actual  service;  Provided: 
That  the  total  per  diem  of  the  Commissioners  as  a  whole  shall  not  ex- 
ceed three  thousand  dollars  in  any  one  year.  The  Commission  may  ap- 
point a  Secretary,  who  shall  be  the  executive  officer  of  the  Commission, 
and  whose  salary,  not  to  exceed  eighteen  hundred  dollars  a  year,  shall 
be  determined  by  the  Commission.  The  Commission  shall  be  provided 
by  the  Board  of  State  Auditors  with  a  suitable  office  in  the  Capitol,  or 
in  some  other  suitable  building  in  the  city  of  Lansing. 

SECTION  5.  The  Commission  shall  ascertain  the  wages  of  women 
workers  in  the  various  occupations  employing  women  in  Michigan. 
And  for  that  purpose  said  Commission  shall  have  full  power  and  au- 
thority to  call  for  statements,  and  either  through  a  Commissioner,  its 
Secretary,  or  any  authorized  representative,  to  examine  all  books,  pay 
rolls,  and  other  records  of  any  employer  of  women  as  to  any  matter 
that  would  bear  upon  wages  paid  such  women  workers.  And  every 
such  employer  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  names,  addresses  and  occu- 
pation of  all  women  employed  by  him,  which  shall  show  therein,  or  by 
direct  reference,  the  wages  paid  and  number  of  hours  employed  per  day 
or  week.  The  Commission  may  prescribe  the  form  in  which  such  record 
shall  be  kept. 

SECTION  6.  The  Commission  may  hold  public  meetings  at  such 
times  and  places  as  it  shall  specify,  at  which  meetings  employers,  em- 
ployes and  other  interested  persons  may  appear  and  testify  as  to  the 
matter  under  consideration.  The  Commission  shall  have  power  to  sub- 
poena witnesses,  and  to  compel  the  production  of  books,  papers  and  other 
evidence  as  to  such  matter.  Witnesses  attending  upon  subpoena,  when 
discharged,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  same  mileage  as  is  provided  by  law 
for  witnesses  attending  before  the  circuit  courts  of  this  State. 

SECTION  7.  If  the  Commission,  upon  such  investigation,  shall  find  that 
in  any  occupation,  the  wages  paid  to  a  substantial  number  of  women 
employed  are  inadequate  to  meet  the  necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  main- 
tain the  worker  in  health,  the  Commission  shall  thereupon  establish  and 
convene  a  Wage  Board  of  not  less  than  three  nor  more  than  six  eni- 
v  ployers  in  the  occupation  in  question,  an  equal  number  of  women  em- 
ployes therein,  or  of  persons  to  represent  them,  and  an  equal  number  of 
disinterested  persons  to  represent  the  public ;  and  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mission if  present,  otherwise  one  of  the  representatives  of  the  public, 
shall  be  designated  to  act  as  chairman  thereof.  The  employers  and 
employes  shall  each  have  the  right,  within  30  days  after  notice,  to  select 
their  members  of  such  board,  and  thereafter  the  Commission  may  ap- 
point. The  Commission  shall  make  rules  for  the  selection  of  members, 
and  for  the  procedure  of  such  boards,  and  shall  have  exclusive  jurisdic- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  27 

tioii  over  all  questions  as  to  the  validity  of  procedure  and  of  the  recom- 
mendations of  such  board.  The  members  shall  serve  without  pay,  but 
shall  be  allowed  the  actual  necessary  traveling  expenses  in  attendance 
upon  such  board. 

SECTION  8.  The  Commission  may  submit  all  pertinent  information  in 
its  control  relating  to  the  subject  of  inquiry  of  any  such  board;  and 
such  board  may  compel  the  production  of  books,  papers  and  other  perti- 
nent evidence.  Such  board  shall  consider  the  needs  of  the  women  em- 
ployes, the  financial  condition  of  the  occupation,  and  the  probable  effect 
thereon  of  any  proposed  change  in  wages;  and  shall  endeavor  to  deter- 
mine a  just  minimum  wage,  whether  by  time  rate  or  piece  rate  or 
l»olh,  adequate  to  meet  the  necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  in 
health  the  women  employes  of  ordinary  ability;  and  also  a  just  min- 
imum wage  for  beginners  and  apprentices  proportioned  to  the  full 
minimum  wage  determined  upon.  The  findings  and  determination  of 
such  board,  or  of  a  majority  of  the  members  thereof,  together  with  the 
reasons  therefor,  and  the  facts  relating  thereto,  shall  be  reported  to  the 
Commission. 

SECTION  9.  Upon  receipt  of  any  such  report  the  Commission  shall 
review  the  same  and  may  approve  or  disapprove  the  determinations  in 
whole  or  in  part,  or  may  recommit  the  subject  to  the  same  or  a  new 
board.  If  the  Commission  approve  any  determination  of  such  board,  it 
shall  make  an  order,  to  be  effective  in  60  days  from  its  date,  unless  the 
Commission  shall  fix  a  longer  period  because  unusual  conditions  make  it 
necessary,  which  order  shall  specify  the  minimum  wage  for  women,  be- 
ginners and  apprentices,  if  any,  in  the  occupation,  affected.  And  after 
such  order  is  effective  it  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  employer  in  such 
occupation  to  employ  women,  beginners  or  apprentices  for  less  than  the 
prescribed  rate  of  wages.  The  Commission,  so  far  as  practicable,  shall 
send  by  registered  mail  to  each  employer,  in  the  occupation  affected, 
a  copy  of  such  order,  and  such  employer  thereupon  is  required  to  keep 
posted  a  plain  copy  of  such  order  in  some  conspicuous  place  in  each 
room  in  his  establishment  in  which  women  are  employed.  The  minimum 
wage  thus  specified  shall  not  be  changed  for  one  year  from  the  date 
of  such  order,  except  as  provided  in  Section  10. 

SECTION  10.  Upon  petition  of  either  employers  or  employes,  specifying 
grounds,  and  made  not  less  than  six  months  after  such  order  becomes 
effective,  the  Commission  may  reopen  the  question  and  reconsider  such 
rates,  and  change  or  modify  the  same.  It  may  also  reconvene  the  former 
or  call  a  new  wage  board  to  hear,  determine  and  report  thereon,  as 
above  provided. 

SECTION  11.  The  Commission,  within  sixty  days  from  the  date  of 
any  such  order,  shall  publish  in  at  least  one  newspaper  in  each  county 


28  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

of  the  State  in  which  any  establishment  affected  by  such  order  is  lo- 
cated, a  summary  of  such  findings  and  order.  At  such  times,  and  in 
such  manner  thereafter  as  it  shall  deem  advisable,  it  shall  also  publish 
the  facts,  as  it  finds  them,  as  to  the  acceptance  of  its  order  by  the  em- 
ployers affected  thereby,  including  the  names  of  the  employers  whom  it 
finds  to  be  following  or  refusing  to  follow  such  order.  The  type  in 
which  the  employers'  names  are  printed  shall  not  be  smaller  than  the 
type  in  which  the  news  matter  is  printed.  Such  matter  shall  be  at- 
tested by  the  signature  of  a  majority  of  the  Commission;  Provided, 
however,  that  such  publication  last  provided  shall  not  be  made  as  to  any 
employer  as  to  whom  a  court  review  is  pending,  until  after  the  deter-, 
mination  thereof. 

SECTION  12.  For  any  occupation  in  which  a  minimum  wage  rate  has 
been  established,  the  Commission  may  issue  to  a  woman  physically  or 
mentally  defective  or  crippled  by  age  or  otherwise,  and  to  any  beginner 
or  apprentice,  a  special  permit  for  her  employment  at  a  wage  specified 
therein,  not  less  than  the  special  minimum  wage  determined  for  such 
class  of  persons.  Such  permits  may  be  issued  by  the  Secretary,  in  the 
absence  of  a  majority  of  the  Commission,  but  shall  be  reported  to  the 
Commission  at  its  first  meeting  thereafter  and  be  subject  to  its  approval. 
And  such  permit  shall  issue  only  when  the  Commission  is  satisfied  it  is 
applied  for  in  good  faith;  and  such  permit  for  beginners  and  appren- 
tices shall  be  in  force  for  such  period  of  time  not  exceeding  one  year, 
as  the  Commission  shall  specify;  and  the  Commission  may  therein 
provide  for  a  graduated  increase  of  wages  at  stated  periods;  Provided, 
that  no  employer  shall  have  more  than  20  per  cent  of  women  employes 
at  any  time  working  under  such  special  permits. 

SECTION  13.  All  findings  and  determinations  of  fact  made  by  the 
Commission  under  this  act,  in  absence  of  fraud,  shall  be  conclusive; 
but  the  Supreme  Court  shall  have  the  power  to  review  questions  of 
law  involved  in  any  final  determination  of  said  Commission,  and  to 
make  such  further  orders  in  reference  thereto  as  justice  may  require; 
Provided,  that  within  thirty  days  after  the  date  of  the  order  of  such 
determination,  application  is  made  therefor  by  a  party  in  interest  by 
certiorari  or  other  proper  writ.  In  any  such  proceeding  the  Attorney 
General  shall  represent,  and  act  in  behalf  of,  the  Commission. 

SECTION  14.  Upon  request  of  the  Commission,  the  Commissioner  of 
Labor  of  the  State  of  Michigan  shall  furnish  to  the  Commission  such  in- 
formation and  statistics  as  it  may  require. 

SECTION  15.  Any  employer  who  shall  discharge  or  in  any  manner 
discriminate  against  any  employe  because  such  employe  has  testified, 
or  is  by  said  employer  believed  to  be  about  to  testify,  in  any  inves- 
tigation or  proceedings  under  lliis  act;  or  because  said  employer  be- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  29 

lieves  or  claims,  or  lias  been  informed,  that  said  employe  has  been  or 
may  be  instrumental  in  such  investigation  or  proceedings,  or  in  bring- 
ing the  same  about,  or  who  shall  permit  the  same  to  be  done,  shall  be 
deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  thereof -shall  be 
punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  dollars  nor  more  than 
one  hundred  dollars. 

SECTION  16.  Any  person  who  after  thirty  days  from  the  time  of  the 
first  publication  of  the  order  of  the  Commission  in  the  county  in  which 
his  establishment  is  located  as  provided  in  Section  11  of  this  act,  shall 
employ  any  woman  at  less  than  the  minimum  wage  determined  as  afore- 
said, or  shall  employ  any  person  physically  or  mentally  defective  or 
crippled  by  age  or  otherwise,  or  any  beginner,  or  apprentice,  except  in 
strict  compliance  with  the  order  of  the  Commission  and  the  permit 
issued  as  aforesaid,  or  wrho  shall  violate  any  of  the  other  provisions 
of  this  act,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  con- 
viction thereof,  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than  twenty-five 
dollars  nor  more  than  one  hundred  dollars. 

SECTION  17.  Any  worker,  or  the  parent  or  guardian  of  any  minor, 
to  whom  this  act  applies,  may  complain  to  the  Commission  that  the 
wages  paid  to  the  workers  are  less  than  the  minimum  rate;  such  com- 
plaint shall  be  a  confidential  communication  and  treated  as  such,  and 
the  Commission  shall  investigate  the  same  and  take  any  proper  action 
in  behalf  of  the  workers. 

SECTION  18.  If  any  employe  shall  receive  less  than  the  legal  mini- 
mum wage,  or,  in  case  of  special  permit,  less  than  the  wage  therein 
specified,  such  employe  shall  be  entitled  to  recover  in  a  civil  action  the 
full  amount  of  the  legal  minimum  wage  provided  for,  or  specified  in 
such  permit,  together  with  costs  and  attorney's  fees  to  be  fixed  by  the 
court,  not  exceeding  the  amount  recovered,  notwithstanding  any  agree- 
ment to  work  for  such  lesser  wage.  In  any  such  action,  however,  the 
employer  shall  be  credited  with  all  wages  which  have  been  paid  upon 
account. 

SECTION  19.  The  Commission  may  from  time  to  time  determine 
whether  employers  in  each  occupation  investigated  are  obeying  its 
orders  and  shall  publish  in  the  manner  provided  in  Section  11  the 
names  of  any  employers  whom  it  finds  to  be  violating  such  order. 

SECTION  20.  Any  newspaper  refusing  or  neglecting  to  publish  the 
limliugs,  orders  and  notices  of  the  Commission,  at  its  regular  rates  for 
the  space  taken,  shall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  be  punished  by  a  fine  of 
not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars  for  each  offence. 

SECTION  21.  No  member  of  the  Commission,  and  no  newspaper  pub- 
lisher, proprietor,  editor  or  employe  thereof,  shall  be  liable  to  an  action 
for  damages  for  publishing  the  names  of  any  employers  in  accordance 


30  REPORT    OP    COMMISSION    OF    INQUIRY. 

with  the  provisions  of  this  act,  unless  such  publication  contains  some  wil- 
ful misrepresentation. 

SECTION  22.  The  Commission  shall  biennially  make  a  succinct  report 
to  the  Governor  and  State  legislature  of  its  investigations,  proceedings 
and  determinations,  with  such  recommendations  as  it  deems  proper. 

SECTION  23.  The  prosecuting  attorney  of  any  county  of  this  State, 
upon  complaint  upon  oath  of  the  Secretary  or  any  member  of  such 
Commission  or  of  any  authorized  representative  thereof,  shall  institute 
and  prosecute  to  an  end,  proceedings  in  any  court  of  competent  jurisdic- 
tion against  any  person,  firm  or  corporation  for  the  violation  of  any  of 
the  provisions  of  this  act. 

SECTION  24.  There  is  hereby  appropriated  annually  the  sum  of  six 
thousand  dollars  to  meet  the  per  diem  and  other  expenses  herein  pro- 
vided and  authorized,  the  same  to  be  audited  and  allowed  by  the  Board 
of  State  Auditors  upon  vouchers  properly  sworn  to  or  certified  by  the 
chairman  of  the  Commission,  and  to  be  paid  out  of  the  general  fund 
of  the  State. 


PART   III. 


INFORMATION  SUPPLIED  BY  8,512  MICHIGAN  WOMEN 
WAGE-EARNERS. 


BY  THE  SECRETARY. 

The  investigation  of  the  environment  of  Michigan's  women  wage- 
on  rners,  their  wages,  their  cost  of  living,  covers  the  inspection  of  535 
establishments  in  30  localities  following  14  separate  industries,  and  the 
interrogation  of  8,512  employes.  There  will  also  be  found  in  this  report 
fragmentary  information  concerning  four  other  occupations. 

Acknowledgment  is  due  manufacturers,  merchants  and  other  employ- 
ers of  women  workers  for  many  courtesies  shown  the  Commission's  in- 
vestigators; for  their  co-operation;  for  the  opportunities  given  to  in- 
terview their  employes  personally  and  for  permission  to  inspect  their 
establishments,  the  better  to  determine  the  exact  environment  of  their 
respective  employes.  Almost  without  exception,  when  it  was  deemed 
necessary  to  see  or  copy  pay  rolls  for  purposes  of  comparison  with  the 
statements  furnished  by  the  women  wage-earners  themselves,  this  was 
graciously  permitted. 

The  Secretary  was  assisted  in  the  field  work  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Adams, 
Mrs.  Marion  Comfort,  Anne  E.  Huber,  Agnes  Inglis,  Mrs.  Helen 
Worthington  and  Mrs.  Ida  Marsh.  Mrs.  Marsh  and  Mrs.  Worthington 
later  resigned.  Mrs.  Adams,  Mrs.  Comfort,  Miss  Huber,  Amaryllis 
Bathe,  Miss  Inglis,  and  Helen  Youngman  assisted  in  the  preparation 
of  the  tabulations. 

BOTH  LOW  AND  HIGH  PAID  OCCUPATIONS  INVESTIGATED. 

No  attempt  was  made  to  cover  only  low-paid  industries;  rather  the 
aim  was  to  make  a  general  survey  of  conditions  of  employment  of 
women  wage-earners  in  the  State  in  the  occupations  selected.  To 
know  these  conditions  intimately  it  was  necessary  to  look  into  the 
hygienic  surroundings  of  the  workers;  to  study  the  relationship  one 
industry  bears  to  another;  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  the  reason  why  two 
industries  in  the  same  locality  had  different  wage  rates  for  the  same 
class  of  work;  to  note  what  proportion  of  the  women  were  employed  in 


32  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

the  lower-paid  occupations;  to  compare  weekly  earnings  with  weekly 
expenditures;  to  study  the  relation  of  experience  to  wages  received;  to 
ascertain  the  continuity  or  irregularity  of  employment;  to  find  the 
causes  for  lost  time  and  the  reasons  for  the  shifting®  of  employment;  to 
ascertain  the  number  living  at  home  and  what  proportion  of  these  were 
contributing  all  or  part  of  their  income  for  maintenance  of  the  home;  to 
learn  the  number  who  were  adrift,  their  nationality  and  its  relation  to 
occupation,  the  number  of  married  women  working  and  the  effect  of 
their  employment  upon  the  wages  paid  the  workers. 

The  investigation  covered  some  of  those  industries  in  which  women 
are  chiefly  employed;  only  a  relative  attention  was  paid  to  the  ex- 
ceptional occupations  of  women  wage-workers  such  as  core-makers, 
since  only  a  few  were  affected. 

The  candy,  cigar,  corset,  hosiery  and  knit  goods,  overall,  cigar  and 
paper  box,  seed,  tobacco,  shoe,  women's  garment  industries,  the  laun- 
dries, retail  stores,  and  telephone  exchanges  were  decided  upon  at  the 
outset.  Later  on,  when  it  was  found  impossible  to  cover  all  these  in- 
dustries in  the  time  at  the  command  .of  the  Commission,  it  was  de- 
cided to  drop  the  investigation  of  the  shoe  industry.  One  of  the  investi- 
gators visited  a  woolen  goods  factory,  and  also  a  factory  where  wood 
fibre  is  converted  into  pulp  for  the  manufacture  of  paper. 

INFORMATION   FROM    WOMEN'S    CLUBS. 

Besides  the  blanks  prepared  containing  questions  pertinent  to  the  in- 
vestigation and  used  by  the  Commission's  investigators  in  obtaining  first 
hand  information  from  the  women  wage-earners,  the  club  women  of  the 
Slate  were  sent  "Cost  of  Living"  blanks,  and  were  also  asked  to  assist  the 
Commission  by  visiting  establishments  and  interviewing  those  women 
and  girls  working  in  cities  and  towns,  not  visited  by  the  Commission's 
investigators.  This  was  not  a  satisfactory  plan,  since  the  girls  em- 
ployed in  these  smaller  cities  and  towns  objected  to  answering  personal 
questions  to  those  with  whom  they  were  daily  associated  either  in  a 
business  or  social  way. 

The  term  "adrift"  as  applied  in  this  report  primarily  refers  to  the 
woman  without  the  environment  of  a  home.  She  may  be  boarding;  she 
may  be  doing  light  housekeeping  and  in  some  instances,  she  may,  in  a 
measure,  have  some  of  the  advantages  of  "home"  life.  Practically,  she  is 
without  a  home. 

WAGES   AND   AGES. 

The  following  tables,  Nos.  7  and  7%,  give  the  wages  by  ages  of  8,358 
women  and  girls  in  18  different  occupations.  Four  of  the  occupations 
were  not  fully  investigated.  A  study  of  these  tables  enables  the  reader  to 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  33 

note  the  rise  of  wages  with  the  increasing  age,  and  as  well  the  fall  of 
wages  when  the  worker,  by  reason  of  advancing  years,  "slows  down," 
and  so  becomes  of  less  value  to  her  employer.  The  cigar  industry  con- 
tains the  largest  percentage  of  workers  under  20  years  of  age,  while 
those  working  in  offices  show  the  smallest  percentage.  But  with  in- 
creasing experience,  the  cigar  making  girl  in  time  surpasses  the  average 
received  by  office  girls,  though  on  the  other  hand  an  office  girl  who  has 
mastered  the  intricacies  and  technicalities  of  some  specialized 
business  will  be  paid  a  salary  that  the  woman  following  a  mechanical 
trade  cannot  hope  to  reach.  It  will  be  noted  that  in  the  seed  industry 
only  2  per  cent  receive  $10  a  week  or  over ;  in  candy  manufacturing,  the 
percentage  is  4  per  cent;  in  hosiery  and  knit  goods,  8  per  cent;  in 
telephone  exchanges,  13  per  cent;  in  laundries,  9  per  cent;  in  stores,  22 
per  cent ;  in  cigar  making,  35  per  cent ;  and  in  overalls,  40  per  cent.  The 
percentages,  according  to  wages  in  the  other  industries,  can  be  seen  at  a 
glance. 
5 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


41 


Table    No.   7.  —  WEEKLY    WAGES  BY    AGES    AND    OCCUPATION    OF  8,358    MICHIGAN 
WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  FOR  A   FULL  WEEK.— Concluded. 


Age. 

No.  interrogated. 

Other  occupations. 
(Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties.) 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

S10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

u 

55 

|l 

Ifyi 

U 
55 

$ 

II 

55 

|1 

II 

|I 

li 

55 

+; 

&  " 

M 

55 

|l 

JJ 

*1 

Under  16 

16  and  under  18 

7 
6 
21 
\ 

5 
4 
3 

72 
67 
15 

i 
i 

3 

14 
17 
14 

1 

14 

18  and  under  20 

1 
1 

1 

16 
5 
25 

10 

20  and  under  25  

6 
1 

3 

29 
25 
30 

4 

19 

2 
1 
1 

9 
25 
10 

2 
1 
4 
3 

q 

25 
40 
75 

.... 

.... 

25  and  under  30 

30  and  under  40  ,  

10 
4 
3 

1 

10 

40  and  under  50  
50  and  over  
Not  reported  

1 

25 

2 

67 

1 

33 

Total  

55 

15 

28 

5 

9 

10 

18 

5 

9 

6 

11 

4 

7 

10 

18 

.... 

42 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Table  No.  7  1-2.— RECAPITULATION  OF  OCCUPATIONS  AND 


Age. 

Occupations. 

Candy. 

Cigars. 

Cores. 

Corsets. 

Hosiery  and 
knit  goods. 

Laundries. 

1 
I 

M 

^ 

•I* 

II 

£ 

fc| 

M 

fc 

«i 

b|  • 

PH 

II 

$ 

II 

fc 

ftj 

££ 

jj 

|i 

Under  16 

305 
1,306 
1,667 
2,558 
1,104 
873 

21 
70 
74 

78 
22 
18 

7.0 
24.0 
25.0 
26.3 
7.4 
6.0 

106 
194 
182 
199 
65 
47 

13.1 
24.1 
22.4 
25.0 
8.0 
5.8 

3 
15 

27 
25 
15 
12 

3.0 
15.2 
27.3 
25.3 
15.1 
12.1 

16 
110 
209 
294 
96 
77 

1.9 
13.2 
25.0 
35.2 
11.5 
9.2 

17 
91 
103 
142 
59 
34 

3.7 
19.7 
22.3 
30.8 
12.8 
7.4 

11 
116 
135 
213 
106 
77 

1.5 
15.7 
18.3 
28.9 
14.3 
10.4 

16  and  under  18  years  
18  and  under  20  years 

20  and  under  25  years  
25  and  under  30  years. 

30  and  under  40  years  

40  and  under  50  years  
50  years  and  over  
Not  reported  

333 
138 

74 

12 

1 

4.0 
0.3 

7 
6 
1 

0.9 
0.7 

2 

2.0 

19 
14 

2.3 
1.7 

9 
6 
1 

2.0 
1.3 

50 
30 
8 

6.8 
4.1 

Total  and  per  cent  of 
whole  number  

8,358 

296 

3.5 

807 

9.7 

99 

1.2 

835 

10.0 

462 

5.5 

746 

8.9 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  43 

AGES  OF  8,358  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN. 

Occupations. 


Other 

occupations 

(  MIkvs. 

Overalls. 

Paper 
and  cigar 
boxes. 

Seeds. 

Stores. 

Telephone 
exchanges. 

Tobacco. 

Women's 
garments. 

(shoes, 
woolen 
goods, 
fibre  works 

and  metal 

specialties.) 

M 

M 

| 

|l 

nl 

II     ,1 

|j 

»-  a 

iJi 

n  S 

II 

h| 

iJi 

^  a 

II 

-1 

II 

X 

£  ° 

fc 

&  u 

8 

PH  ° 

!z; 

£  ° 

* 

£  " 

fc 

PH  ° 

& 

£  " 

K 

&  ° 

% 

&  v 

0  5 

9 

0  3 

34 

10  0 

s 

1  4 

48 

2  3 

8 

1  7 

21 

13  0 

13 

2  1 

8.3 

73 

10.7 

93 

26.0 

60 

28.4 

254 

12.1 

80 

16.9 

44 

27.1 

67 

10.9 

7 

12.7 

82 

21.3 

131 

19.2 

71 

19.6 

44 

20.9 

329 

15.6 

153 

32.3 

30 

18.5 

91 

14.8 

6 

10.9 

171 

45.1 

265 

38.8 

104 

29.2 

60 

28.4 

582 

27.6 

176 

37.2 

47 

29.0 

178 

28.8 

21 

38.2 

50 

13.0 

118 

17.3 

35 

10.0 

22 

10.4 

353 

16.7 

41 

8.7 

11 

6.8 

107 

17.3 

4 

7.3 

38 

9.9 

59 

8.7 

15 

4.2 

17 

8.1 

362 

17.2 

14 

3.0 

4 

2.5 

89 

14.4 

10 

18.2 

a 

1.6 

24 

3.5 

3 

0.8 

3 

1.4 

137 

6.5 

1 

0.2 

5 

3.1 

51 

8.3 

4 

7.3 

i 

0.3 

10 

1.5 

1 

0.2 

?( 

1.0 

43 

2.0 

21 

3  4 

3 

5  4 

11 

3 

4 

J 

40 

1 

4 

396 

4.7 

685 

8.2 

360 

4.3 

212 

2.5 

2,148 

25.7 

474 

5.7 

162 

2.0 

621 

7.4 

55 

0.7 

44 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


WAGES  ACCORDING  TO  EXPERIENCE. 

Advancing  wages  with  increasing  experience  is  shown  in  the  follow- 
ing table,  No.  8.  This  advance  is  in  great  measure  dependent  upon  the 
amount  of  skill  required  to  follow  each  particular  occupation.  In  the 
candy  industry,  of  the  296  interrogated,  110,  or  37.2  per  cent,  had  under 
a  year's  experience,  and  of  these  110,  some  64  per  cent  received  less  than 
$6  per  week.  Only  a  few  with  even  as  much  as  three  to  five  years'  expe- 
rience reached  a  $10  wage.  In  cigar  making,  while  75  per  cent  with  less 
than  a  year's  experience  received  under  $6  per  week,  53  per  cent  of  those 
with  six  years'  experience  earned  $10  or  over  per  week.  Core-making,  a 
skilled  trade,  shows  without  variation,  a  steadily  increasing  wage  with 
increasing  experience.  Kegardless  of  length  of  experience,  107  of  the 
474  telephone  workers  received  less  than  $6  a  week;  and  even  with  in- 
creasing experience,  only  13  per  cent  rose  to  the  dignity  of  a  $10  wage, 
these  being  either  chief  operators,  supervisors,  or  otherwise  engaged 
in  clerical  work. 

Table    No.    8.— COMPARISON    OF    WAGES    WITH    LENGTH    OF    SERVICE    IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Candy. 



Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

I1 

4* 

fc  I 

34 

18 
5 
4 

M 

& 

34 
17 
13 
4 
1 
2 

$ 

30 
30 
38 
15 
4 
13 

s| 

3-& 
£ 

«j 

*g 

PH 

U 

£ 

4 
4 
4 
7 
5 
2 
2 
3 
1 
1 

|1 

U 

c 

$ 

|i 

*5 

*i 

M 

ft 
3 

ii 

3 

M 

£ 

*1 

Under  1  year  

110 
56 
37 
26 
23 

37 
10 
2 

1 

25 
19 
8 
8 
8 

2 

23 
34 
22 
31 
35 
7 
20 

4 
7 
11 
27 
22 
13 
20 
38 
25 
100 

7 

4 
6 
5 
6 

4 
4 
4 

1 

6 
7 
16 
19 
26 
27 
40 
50 
25 

1  and  under  2  years  

2 
2 

2 
4 
2 

1 

4 
5 

9 
27 

20 
12 

2  and  under  3  years 

1 
1 
1 
2 

3 
4 
4 
13 

1 

.... 

3  and  under  4  years       

5  and  under  6  years 

15 

10 

Q 

8  and  under  9  years  

4 
1 

1 

25 

1 

25 

6 

1 

17 

2 

33 

3 

50 

17 

Total                     

296 

50 

72 

25 

71 

24 

33 

11 

42 

14 

15 

5 

12 

4 

1 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


45 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH    LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Cigars. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
¥8. 

$8  and 
under 
?9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wa 
n 
repc 

II 

^ 

ges 
ot 

rted. 

£$ 

M 

& 

*1 

M 

& 

|1 

u 

52; 

** 

iJ 

£5 

«i 

|I 

M 

& 

^ 

JJJ 

*1 

M 

^ 

|1 

Under  1  year   . 

202 
114 
82 
70 
63 
'    60 
42 

123 
6 
2 

1 

63 
5 
3 
1 

24 
10 
4 
2 

12 
9 
5 
3 

19 
26 
6 
7 
4 
3 
2 

1  , 
1 

10 
23 
7 
10 
6 
5 
4 
3 
4 

4 

13 
21 
15 
12 
4 
8 
3 
1 
1 
1 
6 

7 
19 
18 
17 
6 
13 
7 
3 
4 
5 
fi 

9 
16 
19 
11 
10 
6 
4 
4 
,3 

5 
14 
23 
16 
16 
10 
10 
13 
13 

4 
19 
14 
12 
12 
10 
4 
5 
3 
5 
9 

2 
17 
17 
17 
19 
17 
10 
16 
13 
27 
9 

3 
14 
22 
25 
33 
32 
28 
19 
15 
13 
72 

1 
13 
27 
36 
53 
53 
67 
62 
66 
68 
73 

7 
2 

1  and  under  2  years 

2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years  

4  and  under  5  years 

5  and  under  6  years 

1 
1 

2 

2 

6  and  under  7  years 

2 

7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  v^ars   .  .  . 

31 
23 
19 
101 

1 

3 

9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over.  ... 

1 

1 

4 

7 

7 

Not  reported  

Total  

807 

133 

17 

43 

5 

73 

9 

85 

It 

89 

11 

97 

12 

276 

35 

11 

REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESKXT 

OCCUPATION. — Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

"3 

1 
& 

Cores. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

II 
Sz; 

i% 

M 

£ 

£s 

££ 

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fc 

•fii 

II 

2; 

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II 
Jz; 

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Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years 

18 
24 
20 
10 
9 
4 
3 
1 
5 
2 
3 

1 
1 

4 
5 

7 
8 

41 
33 

2 
1 

12 
4 

4 
3 
4 
1 
1 

23 
13 
20 
10 
11 

2 
5 
4 
2 
1 
1 

12 
21 
20 
20 
11 
25 

1 
1 
5 
1 
2 
1 
2 

2 

8 

4 
25 
10 
22 
25 
66 

20 
50 
67 

1 
5 
6 
5 
5 
2 
1 
1 
4 
1 

6 
21 
30 
50 
56 
50 
34 
100 
80 
50 

i 

1 

10 

5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  years  

10  years  and  over  
Not  reported  

1 

33 

.... 

Total  

99 

2 

2 

15 

15 

4 

4 

13 

13 

16 

16 

17 

18 

31 

32 

i 

MINIMUM  WAOE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH    LENGTH  OF  SERVICE    IN   PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued . 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Corsets. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
ft 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

|J 

o;  ^ 
-k 

JJ 

$ 

JJi 

M«'      Sj 

J5*!-0 

«• 

|8 

M 

55 

+> 

£  i 

-M 

u 

S3-0 

55 

4J 

|I 

M 

& 

s| 

£n  ° 

IJ 

55 

& 

I'nder  1  year 

337 
146 
94 
85 
44 
38 
25 

14 
3 

1 
1 

1 

4 
2 

i 
i 

2 

51 
6 
5 

W 
4 
5 

117 
24 
11 
10 

35 
16 
12 
12 
2 

97 
51 
25 
19 
13 
7 
3 
1 
2 
2 
3 

29 
35 
27 
22 
30 
18 
12 
8 
13 
23 
10 

37 
35 
29 
19 
14 
14 
7 
2 
5 
3 
3 

n 

24 
31 

22 
32 
37 
28 
17 
33 
33 
10 

11 
17 
14 
20 
6 
9 
7 
5 
4 
3 
6 

3 
12 
15 
24 
14 
24 
28 
42 
27 
33 
20 

6 
10 
8 
16 
9 
8 
7 
4 
4 
1 
15 

2 
7 
9 
19 
20 
21 
28 
33 
27 
11 
50 

4 
1 

1  and  under  2  years               .  . 

2  and  under  3  years 

3  and  under  4  years 

4  and  under  5  years 

5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years 

1 

4 

7  and  under  8  years 

12 
15 
9 
30 

8  and  under  9  years 

9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over 

.... 

.... 

2 

7 

1 

3 

Not  reported 

Total  

835 

20 

2 

65 

8 

164 

20 

223 

27 

168 

20 

102 

12 

88 

11 

5 

48 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

JJ 

$ 

M 

iz; 

i% 

JP 

$ 

ii 

~J 

a« 

Ji 

|i 

M 

& 

$ 

M 

K 

$ 

il 

^ 

Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years 

97 
113 
67 
43 
39 
34 
21 

35 
21 
5 

38 
19 

7 

23 
20 
11 

5 

5 
2 

1 

25 
18 
16 
12 
13 
6 

11 

18 
28 
19 
6 
4 
4 
4 

1 

20 
24 
28 
14 
10 
12 
19 

11 

8 
18 
14 
10 
12 
7 
G 
3 
3 
4 
2 

9 
16 
21 
24 
31 
20 
29 
38 
34 
27 
13 

5 
18 
8 
10 
6 
11 
5 
1 
2 
3 
1 

6 
16 
12 
24 
15 
33 
24 
12 
22 
20 
6 

1 
7 
7 
8 
5 
3 
3 
2 
2 
3 
6 

1 
6 
11 
19 
13 
9 
14 
25 
22 
20 
37 

i 
i 

3 
3 

6 
7 
3 
1 

1 
1 
5 

7 
15 
20 
14 
13 

6 

.... 

3  and  under  4  years     

1 

.... 

•  4  and  under  5  years  
5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years 

1 

3 

12 

7  and  under  8  years 

S 
9 
15 

1 

8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years 

5 

7 

33 
44 

.... 

10  years  and  over 

16 

Not  reported  ...              ...... 

63 

14 

37 

Total 

462 

67 

15 

84 

19 

87 

19 

70 

15 

47 

10 

8 

7 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WACES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Laundries. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
IT. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

18  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

jj 

$ 

JJ 

.g 

a* 

II 

a 

|l 

U 

S5 

4* 

M 

& 

|l 

M 
& 

r* 

M 

& 

«3 

•S1 

I* 

ii 

Under  1  year 

235 
156 
100 
Gl 
45 
44 
23 
14 
14 
9 
45 

31 
9 

7 
3 
3 
1 

14 
6 

7 
5 

7 
2 

61 
28 
12 
4 

3 

1 
2 
2 
1 
2 

27 
18 
12 
7 
2 
7 
4 
14 
14 
11 
4 

70. 
56 

21 
7 
7 
8 
5 
5 

31 
37 
21 
11 
16 
18 
22 
36 

46 

33 
18 
14 
11 
11 
2 
2 
4 

7 

21 
22 
18 
23 
25 
25 
9 
14 
29 

16 

9 

18 
28 
18 
8 
11 
3 
2 
2 
1 
4 

4 
12 
28 
30 
18 
25 
13 
14 
14 
11 
9 

5 
3 

7 
8 
6 
5 
5 

2 
2 
7 
13 
14 
12 
22 

2 
5 

7 
7 
8 
5 
7 
3 
2 
2 
19 

1 

3 
7 
11 
18 
11 
30 
22 
14 
22 
42 

11 

4 

1  and  under  2  years 

2  and  under  3  years 

3  and  under  4  years 

4  and  under  5  years 

1 

5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years 

7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  .... 

4 
4 

7 

29 
45 
16 

1 
6 

11 
13 

Not  reported  

Total  . 

746 

54 

8 

117 

16 

186 

26 

148 

20 

104 

14 

54 

7 

67 

9 

16 

REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  S. — COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF   SERVICE   IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Offices. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 

$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 

$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

M 

iz; 

«S8 

II 

i* 

JJ 

t* 

II 

Jz; 

$ 

II 

$ 

|J 

,j 

H" 

il 

.j 

J5S 

II 

55 

i$ 

Tjnder  1  ye.ir 

80 
87 
57 
4G 
33 
25 
18 
11 
3 
6 
27 
3 

7 
2 

1 
1 

9 
2 

2 
9 

13 
10 
5 
3 
2 

16 
12 

8 
7 
6 

15 
16 
9 

7 

19 
19 
16 
15 

13 
15 
9 
7 
3 
2 
1 

16 
17 
16 
15 
9 
8 
6 

17 
14 
9 

7 
5 
1 
1 

21 
1C 
16 
15 
15 
4 
6 

6 
11 
5 

8 
6 

2 
3 

8 
13 
9 
18 
18 
8 
11 
27 

9 
18 
20 
13 
17 
20 
14 
7 
3 
5 
26 
3 

11 

21 
35 
28 
52 
80 
77 
64 
100 
83 
96 
100 

1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years  
5  and  under  6  years  
G  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  
Not  reported  ;  

1 

.... 

1 
1 

17 
4 

Total 

396 

11 

3 

33 

8 

47 

12 

50 

13 

56 

14 

43 

11 

155 

39 

1 

MINIMUM  WAC1R  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


\n.   X- COMPARISON    OF    WA<!KS   WITH    LKXCTII   OF    SKHVK'K    IN    I'HKSKNT 

orcri'ATIoN. — Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

1 

1 
a 

1 
p 
fc 

Overalls. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
85. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

|JS 

+* 

,S8 

|J5 

<£" 

JJ 

|1 

il 

55 

PH  ° 

II 

1$ 

li 

$ 

JJi 

4^ 

II 

& 

J^ 

147 

102 
81 
68 
56 
68 
33 
30 
32 
15 
53 

36 
4 
1 

2 

1 

25 
4 
1 
3 

1 

15 

5 

1 
3 

10 
5 
1 
4 

29 
10 
3 
3 
3 
1 
2 
2 

20 
10 
4 
4 
6 
1 
6 
7 

16 
13 
9 
8 
9 
13 
2 
6 
3 

2 

11 

13 
11 
12 
16 
19 
6 
20 
9 

4 

23 
23 
18 
9 
10 
6 
2 
3 
1 
2 
7 

16 
23 
22 
14 
18 
9 
6 
10 
3 
13 
13 

11 
18 
15 
11 
1 
16 
6 
3 
5 
5 
7 

7 
18 
19 
16 
2* 
24 
18 
10 
16 
33 
13 

16 
28 
34 
32 
32 
31 
21 
16 
23 
7 
35 

11 

27 
42 
47 
58 
46 
64 
53 
72 
47 
615 

i 

1 

1  and  under  2  years  

2  and  under  3  years  

3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years  
">  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  

1 
1 

7 
2 

1 

2 

Total                            .     .  . 

685 

44 

7 

25 

4 

55 

8 

81 

12 

104 

15 

98 

14 

275 

40 

3 

REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION. — Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  t 
un 

$ 

ii 
^ 

ind 
ier 
*, 

*t 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 

reported. 

M 

^ 

fc| 

M 

& 

ll 

II 

& 

$ 

IJ 

£ 

tf 

|l 
£ 

+; 
«-  g 
£" 

JJ 

«f 
£S 

JJ 

tf 

Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years  
5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years 

99 
70 
45 
35 
33 
16 
13 
12 
5 
7 
25 

32 
15 
2 

1 
1 

1 

2 

34 
22 
5 
3 
3 

31 
19 
5 
6 
2 

33 
27 
11 
17 
6 

16 
15 
10 
13 
9 
1 
1 
3 

1 

17 
22 
23 
37 
27 
6 
8 
25 

14 

13 
11 
13 
10 
12 
6 
3 
2 
2 
1 
7 

14 
16 
30 
29 
37 
37 
23 
17 
40 
15 
29 

1 
7 
8 
5 
5 
3 
3 
4 

1 
10 
18 
14 
15 
19 
23 
34 

1 
2 
5 

i 

3 
11 

5 

1 

2 

1 
1 

1 

.... 

1 
3 
2 
1 

3 
19 
15 

8 

14 
21 

3 
3 

1 
3 
1 
5 

9 
19 
8 
8 
00 
14 
21 

8 
29 

3 

23 

7  and  under  8  years 

8  and  under  9  years  . 

9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  
Not  reported 

1 

7 

14 
29 

1 
5 

Total  

360 

54 

15 

66 

19 

69 

20 

80 

23 

44 

12 

21 

6 

18 

5 

8 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


53 


Table  No    S— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF   SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION. — Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Seeds. 

Wages  per  week. 

Number  interrogated. 

Under 
$5.- 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

IJ 

it 

1* 

it 

IJ 

3$ 

|J 

&° 

jjl 

it 

|l 

it 

JJi 

it 

IJ 

it 

102 
43 
19 
11 
9 
3 

.... 

45 
5 
2 

44 
12 
11 

41 
25 

6 
2 
3 

1 
2 

40 
58 
32 
18 
33 
34 
33 

12 
11 
8 
6 
4 
1 
3 
2 

12 
26 
42 
55 
45 
33 
50 
40 

2 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 

2 
2 
5 
18 
22 
33 
17 

1 

1 

5 

1 
1 

1 
2 
5 
0 

1  and  under  2  years.  .  .  _  

2  and  under  3  years  

3  and  under  4  years  

5  and  under  6  years 

6  and  under  7  years 

6 

5 

1 

20 

2 

40 

8  and  under  9  years 

9  and  under  10  years 

1 
13 

1 
6 

100 
46 

10  years  and  over 

4 

31 

3 

23 

Not  reported 

Total 

212 

.... 

53 

25 

84 

40 

54 

25 

10 

5 

7 

3 

4 

2 

REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  8.— COMPARISON  OP  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF   SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION. — Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Stores. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 

$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 

reported. 

^ 

*1 

55 

|1 

J| 

£l 

I1 

£% 

|l 

£i 

I1 

».<  "^ 

II 

p£  ° 

II 
55 

|i 

Under  1  year  

494 

188 

39 

112 

23 

101 

21 

32 

6 

27 

6 

11 

2 

15 

3 

8 

1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years 

331 
258 
216 
141 

79 
37 
9 
6 

24 
14 
4 
4 

90 
29 
22 
9 

27 
11 
10 
6 

61 

52 
44 
30 

18 
20 
21 
22 

48 
54 
42 
22 

15 
21 
19 
16 

22 
30 
39 
31 

7 
12 

18 

22 

11 

18 
19 
18 

3 

7 
9 
13 

20 
38 
41 
23 

6 
15 
19 
17 

3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years  

2 

5  and  under  6  years  

103 

3 

3 

12 

12 

11 

11 

21 

20 

23 

22 

10 

10 

23 

22 

6  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years  

119 
99 

1 

1 

4 
2 
1 

3 
2 
1 

14 

7 
3 
1 

12 
7 
4 
2 

26 
10 
6 
1 

22 
10 
8 
2 

23 
17 
16 
8 

19 
17 

20 
20 

17 
16 
7 
10 

14 
17 
9 
25 

34 
46 
45 

21 

29 
47 
56 
51 

1 

8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years  

80 
41 

2 

2 

10  years  and  over  
Not  reported 

266 

2 

1 
14 

11 
335 

4 

16 

6 

19 

7 

37 

14 

178 

68 

3 

325 

15 

283 

16 

278 

14 

Total  . 

2,148 

13 

255 

12 

174 

8 

484 

22 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


Xo.  8.— COMPARISON  OF  WAUKS  WITH  LENGTH  OF   SERVICE   IN   PRESENT 
OCCUPATION. — Continued. 


Leugth  of  service. 

1 

.Is 

& 

Telephone  exchanges. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 

$6. 

S6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

II 
& 

i* 

*J 

z 

-M 

I1 

|J 
^ 

*1 

U 

£ 

*1 

U 

& 

sl 

PH 

II 

*1 

U 

5 

fcl 

PH  W 

ii 

& 

jgi 

Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years 

144 
107 
72 
55 
38 
17 
11 
13 
4 
5 
8 

76 
15 

7 
3 
2 
2 
1 
1 

54 

14 
10 
6 
5 

12 
9 
8 

32 
27 
17 
9 
9 
2 
1 
3 

2 

23 
25 
24 
16 
24 
12 
9 
23 

25 

12 
29 
27 
15 
6 
6 
1 

1 
2 
2 

8 
27 
38 
27 
16 
35 
10 

25 
40 
25 

2 
4 
4 
5 
3 
1 
4 
1 

1 

4 
5 
9 
8 
6 
36 
8 

16 
18 
6 
5 
1 
1 

2 
1 
1 
1 

11 

17 
8 
9 
3 
6 

15 
25 
20 
13 

3 
9 
3 
3 
2 

2  ' 

2 
8 
4 
6 
5 

15 

1 

5 
8 
15 
15 
5 
4 
4 
2 
2 

1 

5 
11 

27 
39 
29 
36 
31 
50 
40 
12 

2 

2  and  under  3  years  

4  and  under  5  years 

5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years  
8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  jears  
10  years  and  over  
Not  reported. 

2 

25 

Total 

474 

107 

23 

102 

22 

101 

21 

26 

5 

52 

11 

22 

5 

62 

13 

2 

56 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  8. — COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF   SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION^Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

Number  interrogated. 

Tobacco. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Ws 
n 
repo 

M 
& 

iges 
ot 
rted. 

t$ 

JJ 

$ 

M 

5 

$ 

II 

55 

ll 

M 

5  ^ 
% 

+1 

&$ 

Jl 

*l 

IJS 

& 

sl 

J_t 

JJ 

*; 

|i 

Under  1  year  

64 
21 
18 
12 
13 
8 
12 
3 
4 

3 

5 

22 
5 

1 

34 
24 

8 

17 
4 
3 
1 
2 
1 
1 

26 
19 
17 
8 
15 
13 
8 

10 
7 
4 
3 
1 

16 
33 

22 
25 
8 

7 
1 
5 
3 
3 
2 
1 
1 
1 

11 
4 
28 
25 
23 
25 
8 
33 
25 

2 
2 

2 
1 
1 
2 

3 

10 

17 

8 
12 
17 

3 
2 
6 
3 
5 
4 
8 
2 
2 

1 

5 

10 
33 
25 
38 
50 
67 
67 
50 

14 

1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  

.... 

3  and  under  4  years 

4  and  under  5  years. 

5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  

7  and  under  8  years  '  

8  and  under  9  years  

.... 

1 

25 

.... 

9  and  under  10  years. 

10  years  and  over  
Not  reported  

7 

2 

29 

3 

43 

1 

14 

0 

27 



Total  

162 

2 

28 

17 

29 

18 

28 

17 

17 

11 

7 

36 

22 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


57 


Table  No    8— COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION.— Continued. 


Length  of  service. 

1 
1 

I 

Women's  garments. 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

u 

Jz; 

|l 

M 

& 

& 

II 

[z; 

^5 

£l 

J-l 

li 

55 

& 

M 

5 

4* 

sM 

$ 

II 

55 

+i 

4* 

J! 

4* 

I'lidtT  1  year  

174 
93 
75 
53 
51 
59 
21 
24 
20 
13 
38 

46 
11 
,  7 
4 
1 
5 

1 

28 
12 
10 
8 
2 
8 

4 

24 
10 
9 
4 
5 
5 
1 

IS 

11 
12 
8 
10 
8 
5 

36 
16 
13 
9 
3 
4 
2 
1 
2 

2 

22 
17 
18 
17 
6 
7 
9 
4 
10 

5 

19 
18 
8 
7 
5 
4 
1 
3 
1 

4 

12 
20 
11 
13 
10 
7 
5 
13 
5 

11 

17 
9 
7 
9 
11 
6 
7 
3 
2 
2 
2 

11 

10 
10 
17 
22 
10 
33 
13 
10 
17 
5 

5 
11 
10 
8 
6 
10 
1 
6 
3 
7 
7 

3 
12 
14 
15 
12 
17 
5 
26 
15 
58 
18 

15 
17 
18 
12 
19 
25 
9 
9 
12 
3 
23 

9 
18 
25 
22 
38 
43 
43 
40 
60 
25 
61 

12 

1 
3 

1 

1 

1 

.... 

1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years  
4  and  under  5  years  
5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  

7  and  under  8  years  

8  and  under  9  years  

9  and  und«r  10  years  

10  years  and  over  

Not  reported  

Total  

621 

75 

13 

58 

10 

88 

14 

70 

11 

75 

13 

74 

12 

162 

27 

19 

f>8 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  ATo.  8. — COMPARISON  OF  WAGES  WITH  LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT 

OCCUPATION— Concluded. 


Length  of  service. 

1 

Other  occupations. 
(Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties.) 

Wages  per  week. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 

$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Wages 
not 
reported. 

1* 

«1 

IJJ 

sl 

M 

,1 

II 

,1 

IJ 

sl 

*J 

,| 

M 

Jz; 

*-,  "* 

M 

^| 

Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years  
3  and  under  4  years 

9 
14 
9 

7 
4 

2 
2 

5 
1 

7 
1 
1 

56 
8 
78 
14 
25 

2 

2 

1 

22 

29 

50 

1 
3 
2 
3 

11 
21 
22 
43 

i 

3 

11 

21 

3 

1 
1 

21 
.... 

25 

4 

29 

1 

25 

4  and  under  5  years  
5  and  under  6  years  
6  and  under  7  years  
7  and  under  8  years 

1 

25 

2 
1 

100 
50 

8  and  under  9  years  
9  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  
Not  reported 

1 
7 

1 

14 

1 

14 

1 
5 

100 

72 

—  • 

— 

Total  

55 

15 

28 

5 

9 

10 

18 

5 

9 

6 

11 

4 

7 

10 

18 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  r>9 

NATIVITY   AND  PARENT A<;  K. 

Table  No.  9  shows  by  occupations  the  distribution  of  the  8,358  women 
and  girls  who  were  interrogated  as  to  their  nativity  and  parentage,  the 
parentage  being  determined  by  the  nationality  of  the  mother.  This  is 
the  usual  procedure  where  the  nationality  of  father  and  mother  is  dif- 
ferent. A  girl  of  Polish  parentage  may  be  of  either  Kussian,  Austrian 
or  German  birth.  Often  the  Polish  girl  interrogated  could  not  tell  the 
ujilionality  of  her  mother.  In  that  case  the  nationality  was  determined 
by  the  language  the  mother  spoke.  The  figures,  therefore,  in  regard  to 
tli(i  nationality  of  the  parents  are  relative  rather  than  positive.  But 
i liis  "mixup"  of  races  does  not  apply  to  other  than  Poles — a  people 
without  a  country. 

Some  81  per  cent  of  the  women  interrogated  were  of  American  birth, 
while  G2.7  per  cent  of  the  mothers  were  of  foreign  birth.  The  foreign 
country  most  numerously  represented  in  this  investigation  is  Germany, 
2,008,  or  24.1  per  cent  of  the  entire  number  reporting  to  be  of  this 
nationality. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  telephone  operators  show  the  highest 
percentage  both  in  American  birth  and  parentage,  95.1  per  cent  in  that 
occupation  being  of  American  birth  and  57.8  per  cent  of  American  par- 
entage. 

The  office  workers  came  second  both  as  to  American  birth  and  Amer- 
ican parentage — 89.3  per  cent  were  of  American  birth  and  56  per  cent  of 
American  parentage.  The  occupation  showing  the  lowest  percentage  of 
American-born  workers  is  that  of  core-making,  only  56  per  cent  of  those 
interrogated  in  that  industry  being  of  American  birth.  In  the  cigar 
group  is  found  the  smallest  percentage  of  workers  of  American  parent- 
age— but  8.9  per  cent  being  in  that  group.  Nine  and  nine-tenths  per  cent 
of  Hie  tobacco  group  were  of  American  parentage. 


00 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

Table    No.    9.— NATIVITY    AND    PARENTAGE  OF    8,358 


Nationality. 

Candy. 

Cigars. 

Cores. 

Corsets. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nat 

Ii 

ivity. 

$ 

Parentage. 

Jl 

fc  S 

PH  w 

ii 

«! 

,8  8 

IJ 

*5 
PH  " 

Jjj 

tt 

y 

£l 

g 

«1 

jM 

|l 

United  States  
Germany 

244 
5 
2 
19 
3 

5 
6 
1 

82.5 
1.7 
0.7 
6.4 
1.0 

1.7 
2.0 
0.3 

113 
78 
4 
30 
6 

7 
18 
4 

7 

1 
2 
1 

26 

2 
9 
2 
1 

38.2 
26.4 
1.4 
10.1 
2.0 

2.4 
6.1 
1.4 
0.3 

2.4 

0.3 
0.7 
0.3 
2.0 
0.7 

0.7 
3.0 
0.7 
0.3 

631. 
68 
37 
7 
2 

32 
6 

8 

78.2 
8.4 
4.6 
0.9 
0.3 

4.0 
0.7 
1.0 

71 
319 
302 
8 
5 

30 
24 
8 

8.9 
39.5 
37.4 
1.0 
0.6 

3.7 
3.0 
1.0 

55 
7 

56.0 
7.0 

29 
21 

30.0 
21.0 

617 
28 
7 
41 
13 

71 
11 
6 

74.0 
3.4 
0.8 
4.9 
1.6 

8.5 
1.3 
0.7 

288 
224 
18 
68 
25 

75 
22 

7 

3 

2 
15 

34.6 
26.8 
2.2 
8.1 
3.0 

9.0 
2.6 
0.8 
0.1 
0.4 

0.2 

1.8 

Poland  
Canada... 

3 
11 

2 

1 
5 

3.0 
11.0 

2.0 
1.0 
5.0 

4 
3 

14 
3 
5 

4.0 
3.0 

14.0 
3.0 

5.0 

England  
Russia  . 

Netherlands  

Hungary.  . 

Denmark  

Bohemia  

Roumania 

1 

1 

0.3 
0.3 

2 
17' 

0.3 

"2!!' 

1 

1 
10 

1.0 

1.0 

10.0 

1 

1 
12 

1.0 

1.0 
12.0 

2 
12 

0.2 
1.4 

Austria  ..          . 

10 

1.2 

Greece 

1 
3 

0.3 
1.0 

Scotland 

3 
5 

2 
4 
5 

0.4 
0.6 

0.2 
0.5 
0.6 

9 

8 

4 
21 
9 
4 
2 

1.1 
1.0 

0.5 
2.5 
1.1 
0.5 

0.2 

France 

"i* 

2 

0.1 

"0.1 

0.3 

1 

5 
6 
3 

0.1 

0.6 
0.7 
0.4 
0.1 

Italy.  . 

2 
1 
2 

0.7 
0.3 
0.7 

Ireland 

Belgium  
Switzerland 

Sweden 

1 

2 
3 

1.0 

2.0 
3.0 

1 

0.1 

Siberia 

1 
2 

1.0 
2.0 

Servia.  .  .  . 

Malta  

1 

0.1 

1 

0.1 

Asia 

Syria  

1 

0.1 

1 

0.1 

Australia 

Prussia  

1 

1 
1 
2 

1 

0.1 
0.1 
0.1 
0.2 

0.1 

Newfoundland 

1 
1 

0.1 
0.1 

Nova  Scotia  

Wales 

Norway  

1 

0.1 

Finland  . 

Jerusalem  

Turkey  

Eurasia 

"  On  the  ocean" 

South  America.  .  . 

East  Indies  

West  Indies 

India  

"Don't  know" 

2 

0.5 

1 

0.1 

4 

0.5 

3 

835 

0.4 

23 

2.8 

99 

Total  

296 

99.9 

296 

99.9 

807 

100.0 

807 

100.0 

99 

100.0 

100.0 

100.0 

835 

100.0 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  BY  OCCUPATION. 


61 


Hosiery  and  knit  goods. 

Laundries. 

Offices. 

Overallo. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

^•^ 

*1 

Jjj 

*1 

P 

^ 
ft->  ° 

to 

1* 

to 

PH  ° 

to 

4J 

•S1 

JJI 

|1 

to 

J&* 

388 
21 

84.0 
4.6 

138 
108 
21 
80 
10 

7 
56 

29.9 
23.4 
4.6 
17.3 
2.2 

1.5 
12.1 

600 
24 
20 
38 
11 

23 
4 
5 

80.4 
3.2 
3.0 
5.1 
1.4 

3.1 
0.5 
0.7 

282 
175 
66 
62 
21 

27 
34 
4 

2 

37.8 
23.5 
8.9 
8.3 
2.8 

3.6 
4.6 
0.5 
0.3 

353 
5 

"32" 
3 

1 

89.3 
1.3 

's'.i' 

0.7 
0.2 

220 
54 

1 
57 
17 

1 
14 

56.0 
13.6 
0.2 
14.4 
4.3 

0.2 
3.5 

483 
45 
11 
25 
4 

41 

7 
3 
1 
1 

3 
13 

70.6 
6.6 
1.6 
3.7 
0.6 

6.0 
1.0 
0.4 
0.1 
0.1 

0.4 
2.0 

116 
286 
26 
86 
11 

49 
16 
4 
-    3 
1 

3 
13 

17.0 
41.8 
3.8 
12.6 
1.6 

7.2 
2.3 
0.6 
0.4 
0.1 

0.4 
2.0 

23 
3 

4 
16 

5.0 
0.6 

0.9 
3.5 

1 

0.2 

2 

0.4 

2 
9 

0.3 
1.2 

4 
15 

0.5 
2.0 

1 

0.2 

1 

0.2 

2 

0.4 

4 

6.9 

i 
i 

0.1 
0.1 

a 

3 

12 
3 
2 
5 

1.1 

0.4 

0.1 
1.6 
0.4 
0.3 
0.7 

1 

0.2 

3 

0.7 

3 

4 

5 
8 
22 
2 

0.4 
0.6 

0.7 
1.2 
3.2 
0.3 

3 

4 

7 
16 
24 
4 
1 

0.4 
0.6 

1.0 
2.3 
3.5 
0.6 
0.1 

""i 

i 

'"0.2 
0.2 

1 
8 
1 

"'ii' 

0.2 
1.7 
0.2 

"3!6 

i 

2 
1 
1 

0.1 
0.3 
0.1 
0.1 



13 

3.3 

2 

0.5 

1 

0.1 

1 

0.1 

i 

0.2 

1 

0.2 

0.4 

i 

0.2 

5 
1 

1.1 
0.2 

3 

0.4 

1 

0.2 

3 

1 

0.1 

1 

1 

0.1 
0.1 
0.1 

'"i" 

1 

0.1 

0.2 

1 

0.2 

""i 

"'o'.2' 

4 

0.9 

1 

0.1 

14 

1.9 

10 

2.5 

3 

0.4 

8 

1.2 

462 

100.0 

462 

100.0 

746 

100.0 

746 

100.0 

396 

100.0 

396 

100.0 

685 

100.0 

685 

100.0 

62 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Table  No.  9.— NATIVITY  AND  PARENTAGE  OF  8,358 


Nationality. 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes. 

Seeds. 

Stores. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

ss 

9*5 

S3 

*1 

|l 
fc 

£ 

&$ 

Il 
Jz; 

fc  1 
ft 

M 

S5 

O>    u 

PH 

jj 

**• 

£2 

jj 

$ 

United  States 

296 
10 
3 
8 
2 

9 
23 
3 

82.3 
2.8 
0.8 
2.2 
0.5 

2.5 
6.4 

0.8 

127 
105 
6 
11 
6 

9 
57 
3 

35.3 
29.2 
1.7 
3.1 
1.7 

2.5 
15.9 
0.8 

164 
7 
1 
20 
6 

6 
"'2 

77.4 
3.3 
0.5 
9.4 

2.8 

2.4 
"6!9 

59 
73 

7 
27 

7 

7 
2 
2 

27.9 
34.5 
3.3 
12.7 
3.3 

3.3 
0.9 
0.9 

1,879 
25 
2 
141 
24 

34 
16 

2 

87.6 
1.1 
0.09 
6.6 
1.1 

1.6 
0.7 
0.09 

1,100 
240 
28 
316 

70 

49 
104 
2 
9 
3 

3 

7 

51.3 
11.2 
1.3 

14.7 
3.3 

2.3 
4.9 
0.09 
0.4 
0.1 

0.1 
0.3 

Germany  
Poland 

Canada  
England  

Russia  
Netherlands  

Denmark  
Bohemia  

"b'.v 

1 
"'9' 

0.5 

"4Y 

2 
2 

0.09 
0.09 

lloumania  
Austria 

"Y 

1 
..„. 

0.3 

4 

1.1 

Greece  
Scotland 

0.3 

1 

0.3 

.       2 

0.9 

3 

1.4 

6 
1 

'"4 
1 

0.3 
0.05 

"b'.2 
0.05 

"6!69 

26 
8 

1 

108 
2 
4 
25 

1.2 
0.4 

0.05 
5.0 
0.09 
0.2 
1.1 

France  

Italy 

"6!s' 

0.3 

3 
5 
1 

2 
2 

0.8 
1.4 
0.3 
0.5 
0.5 

1 

0.5 

2 
2 
1 

0.9 
0.9 
0.5 

Ireland  

2 
1 

Belgium 

1 

0.5 

Switzerland  ,  .  .  .  . 

Sweden  

Siberia  
Servia       .                   

2 

Malta... 

..... 

"6!s' 

..... 
3 

'6!5' 
1.4 

'6!65 

'6!  05 

Asia  
Syria 

1 

0.05 

1 

Australia          

Prussia  

1 

Newfoundland  
Nova  Scotia  
Wales  

2 

0.5 

l 

1 

0.05 

4 

10 

1 

0.2 

0.5 
0.05 

Norwav 

Finland  

Jerusalem  
Turkey 

..... 

1 
1 
1 
22 

'()'.  05 
0.05 
0.05 
0.05 
1.0 

Eurasia  
"On  the  ocean" 

South  America  
East  Indies 

West  Indies  

"ie' 

"lA 

'"& 

'2.8 

...... 

4 

'6!6s 

0.2 

India  
"Don't  know" 

"Y 

'6Y 

Total  

360 

100.0 

360 

100.0 

212 

100.0 

212 

00.0 

2,148 

100.0 

2,148 

100.0 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  BY  OCCUPATION.— Concluded. 


63 


Telephone  exchanges 

Tobacco. 

Women's  garments. 

Other  occupations.* 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

Nativity: 

Parentage. 

Nativity. 

Parentage. 

|J3 
SR 

I* 

M 

fc 

«1 

IJ 
% 

gl 

1* 

-w 

|s 

S& 
&* 

$ 

1* 

** 

1? 

|l 

to 

$ 

451 
2 

"'12' 
4 

..... 

95.1 
0.4 

'"2.5 
1.0 

'"0.2 

274 
76 

'"eo 
11 

i 

57.8 
16.0 

"'i2Y 
2.3 

0.2 

114 
10 
10 
5 

11 

70.3 
6.2 
6.2 
3.1 

16 
70 
33 
6 

9.9 
43.2 
20.4 
3.7 

476 
15 
1 
50 
11 

33 
4 
3 
2 
1 

3 
4 

76.6 
2.4 
0.2 
8.1 
1.7 

5.3 
0.6 
0.5 
0.3 

0.2 

0.5 
0.6 

208 
171 
7 
68 
21 

37 
28' 
3 
4 
1 

2 

7 

33.5 
27.5 
1.1 
11.0 
3.4 

6.0 
4.5 
0.5 
0.6 
0.2 

0.3 
1.1 

45 
2 

3 
2 

1 

"  Y 

81.9 
3.6 
5.5 
3.6 

1.8 

'Y.6 

22 
8 
8 
5 
1 

"'is' 

40.0 
14.6 
5.5 

9.1 

1.8 

"23'.6 

6.8 
...... 

15 

"  Y 

9.3 

"iY 

2 

4 

1.0 

....•'.... 

•  •  '  2  ' 

"-3 
2 

1 
19 

"  Y4' 
"Ye" 

0.4 

0.2 
4.0 

"  Y 

...,. 

5.0 

15 

9.3 

'."i'.s 

"3.6 

1 

'  Y 

0.2 

"  Y.e' 

"YY 

..... 

1 

2 

'Ye' 

0.6 
1.2 

1 

0.2 

7 
2 

9 
24 
3 
1 
2 

1.1 
0.3 

1.4 

3.8 
0.5 
0.2 
0.3 

"'i' 

"  Y 

2 
6 
2 

"'2' 

0.3 
0.9 
0.3 

"6Y 

8 

0.2 
1.7 

..... 

"Ye" 

"'i' 

"6Y 

1 
1 

i 

0.2 
0.2 

"6Y 

1 
1 

"'i' 
i 

i 

0.2 
0.2 

"oY 

,0.2 

"'i' 

'"b'.2 
0.2 

2 

0.4 

0.2 

i 

0.2 



"  Y 

"i'.7 

'  i.7 

i 

0.2 

11 

474 

100.0 

474 

100.0 

162 

100.0 

162 

100.0 

621' 

100.0 

621 

100.0 

55 

100.0 

55 

100.0 

*Shocs,  woolen  goods  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties. 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


DIAGRAM  SHOWING  NATIVITY  AND  PAPENTAOE  BY  PERCENTAGES  AND 
OCCUPATION  OF  6,358  MICHIGAN  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS 

OCCUPA  TIONS  NA  TIVITY  PA  REN  TA  OE 


CANDY 


C/OARS 


COB£S 


CORSETS 


HOSIERY  AND 
KNIT  GOODS 


LAUNDPIES 


OFFICES 


OV£  BALLS 


PAPEP  AND 
C /GAP  BOXES 


SE.LDS 


STOBES 


TELEPHONE 
EXCHANGES 


TOBACCO 


WOMENS 
GAPMEN75 


OTHER 

OCCUPATIONS 


82. 5  °fo  American  Be. 


1'r"s%\ 
&& 


38.2  Am.  Born 


78.2  fo  Amencan  Born          W$$%. 


56  °/o  Am.  Born 


merican  Born 


3*6  Am.  Born 


merican  Born 


80.4  f0  American  Born 

' 


37.8%/lnBorn 


American  Born 


S6f0/1/ne>r,can  Bornm% 


American  Born 


Wul&A 

v//,Born^\ 


American  Bern 


51.  3%  Am.  Born 


95. 1  %    American.   Born 


57.6%  Amman  Born 


70.3  fo  American  Born 


76.6  fi  Amen  can  Born         or 

'  ' 


d/.9</0  Amen  can  Born 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  05 

AGE  AT    WHICH  THEY   BEGAN   WORK. 

Table  No.  10  shows  the  nativity  and  age  at  which  8,358  Michigan 
wage-earning  women  began  to  earn  their  own  living.  It  also  shows  their 
present  marital  relations.  If  the  same  per  cent  of  married  women  holds 
good  with  all  the  women  in  gainful  occupations  in  the  State  as  it  does 
with  the  8,358  interrogated,  on  the  basis  of  225,000  working  women, 
there  must  be  close  to  25,000  married  women  in  Michigan  earning  their 
own  living.  If,  added  to  the  837  reported  are  the  624  divorced,  wid- 
owed or  separated,  the  number  of  married,  divorced,  widowed  or 
separated  women  earning  their  own  living,  lies  somewhere  between 
35,000  and  40,000.  These  figures  do  not  include  Upper  Peninsula  statis- 
tics. 

Of  those  giving  age  when  they  first  began  to  work,  441,  or  5.4  per 
cent,  reported  that  they  were  under  14  years  of  age;  7,253,  or  88.7 
per  cent,  reported  that  they  were  under  20  years  of  age;  and  924,  or  11.3 
per  cent  were  20  years  old  or  over.  The  occupations  more  readily  open  to 
the  very  young  are  such  industries  as  candy,  core-making  and  seeds,  but 
core-making  is  a  comparatively  new  industry  for  women,  and  the  sta- 
tistics gathered  represent  only  a  small  number  of  women. 

Eighty-nine  of  these  women  wage-earners  were  over  40  years  of  age 
before  they  began  work  outside  of  the  home,  being  forced  into  industrial 
life  because  of  the  death  of  the  husband  or  from  some  other  family  mis- 
fortune. 

A  further  study  of  this  table  discloses  the  interesting  fact  that  the 
overall  industry  employs  the  largest  percentage  of  married  women — 24.4 
per  cent — with  the  core-makers  coming  next  with  16.2;  laundries,  14.0 
per  cent;  offices  3  per  cent. 


66 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


67 


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68  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION*  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

MARRIED   WOMEN   WHO   WORK. 

Table  No.  11  summarizes  the  data  secured  from  728  married  women 
covering  the  reason  for  their  working.  All  of  the  married  women  work- 
ing did  not  report  the  reason  why  they  worked,  nor  whether  the  hus- 
band was  a  wage-earner.  Of  the  688  who  did  report,  512  had  husbands 
working,  and  99  husbands  who  could  not  find  employment;  66  hus- 
bands were  physically  incapacitated  from  earning  either  their  own 
living  or  supporting  their  families.  The  physically  incapacitated  in- 
cludes those  temporarily  ill,  or  paralyzed,  the  deaf,  dumb  and  blind, 
the  tubercular  and  the  insane. 

Two  women  ascribed  their  obligation  to  work  outside  due  to  the  fact 
that  their  husbands  had  artificial  limbs,  and  as  such  were  unable  to  go 
out  to  work  during  icy  and  snowy  weather.  The  wives,  therefore,  took  it 
upon  themselves  to  help  maintain  their  homes.  Two  husbands  are  at- 
tending college,  and  one  is  learning  a  trade.  One  husband  was  in  jail. 
Three  husbands,  though  working,  spend  all  their  earnings  in  drink, 
leaving  the  maintenance  of  the  household  to  the  wives.  Two  wives 
said  of  their  husbands :  "They  won't  work." 

The  working  married  woman,  in  her  economic  arrangement  with  her 
family,  was  found  to  be  either  sharing  household  expenses,  working 
only  for  clothes,  supporting  her  family  or  supporting  only  herself. 
"Sharing  household  expenses"  may  mean  having  a  common  purse  out  of 
which  are  paid  all  household  expenses,  or  it  may  mean  that  the  husband 
pays  all  the  living  expenses,  while  the  wife's  income  goes  to  the  pur- 
chase of  a  home,  or  increasing  the  bank  account,  or  purchasing  furni- 
ture. Sometimes  this  is  reversed,  the  wife  meeting  living  expenses 
while  the  husband  invests  his  earnings.  Out  of  674  who  reported  upon 
the  financial  adjustment  of  their  incomes,  367,  or  more  than  half,  con- 
tributed jointly  to  the  expenses  of  living. 

Some  124,  or  18  per  cent,  of  these  wage-earning  wives,  worked  merely 
for  clothing  and  spending  money,  the  husband  meeting  all  other  ex- 
penses, even  when  paying  board,  which  is  often  the  case  where  both 
man  and  wife  work. 

Those  unfortunate  wives  on  whom  rests  the  support  of  their  families, 
their  husbands  and  themselves,  comprise  21  per  cent  of  those  reporting. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


TabU  No    11  —CONJUGAL  STATUS  BY  OCCUPATION  OF  728  MARRIED,  WIDOWED,  SKP- 
ARATED    OR    DIVORCED    WAGE-EARNING    WOMEN. 


Status  of  husband. 

Status  of  wife. 

Other  conditions. 

1 

| 

« 

-*-* 

i 

4> 

Occupation. 

c? 

| 

1 

if 

a 

2 

§ 

*8 

I 

M 

"m 

«M 

a 

a 

••3 

"S 

I 

fe 

1 
fc 

f 

Out  of  work. 

Physically  inc 

1 
I 

Sharing  house 
expenses. 

Clothing  and  i 
money  only 

L 

ll 
£ 

Supports  self. 

Temporarily  e 
ployed. 

1 

li 

jl  ° 

Supporting  rel 

Savings  or  inv 

Candy  

28 

26 

18 

5 

3 

27 

17 

3 

6 

1 

10 

10 

Cigars  

93 

(a)     93 

70 

14 

7 

91 

53 

1 

29 

3 

4 

39 

28 

Cores  

16 

16 

11 

3 

2 

15 

7 

3 

4 

1 

3 

2 

9 

Corsets 

38 

35 

12 

20 

3 

38 

14 

5 

11 

8 

13 

3 

8 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  

22 

20 

17 

3 

17 

10 

3 

3 

1 

1 

9 

1 

10 

Laundries  

113 

(b)   108 

77 

19 

11 

105 

M 

17 

21 

8 

4 

21 

38 

Offices 

5 

3 

3 

4 

2 

1 

1 

1 

Overalls  

7-1 

(c)      65 

50 

11 

3 

53 

46 

4 

3 

2 

1 

2 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes 

11   !           10 

9 

10 

7 

9 

1 

1 

2 

Seeds.. 

27 

21 

21 

8 

4 

13 

9 

1 

Stores  

197 

(d)   193 

156 

10 

24 

188 

fU 

o 

9 

35 

19 

87 

Telephone  exchanges  

19 

15 

14 

1 

16 

9 

6 

1 

2 

1 

2 

9 

Tobacco  

15 

(e)      15 

3 

7 

4 

15 

9 

n 

2 

1 

Women's  garments  

67 

(f)      65 

48 

9 

5 

66 

43 

6 

13 

4 

20 

5 

15 

Other  occupations                           3 

3 

3 

^ 

3 

j 

1 

674 

367 

39 

Total 

728 

688 

512 

99 

66 

124 

144 

24 

155 

33 

219 

(a)  1  husband  has  one  leg,  can't  work  in  winter. 
1  husband  in  jail. 

(b)  1  husband  attending  college. 

(c)  1  husband  learning  a  trade. 

(d)  1  husband  drinks. 

1  husband  won't  work. 

1  husband  attending  college. 


(e)  1  husband  has  one  leg  and  can't  work  in  winter. 
(I)  2  husbands  drink. 
1  never  works. 


70  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

WEEKLY   EARNINGS   FOR  A    SPECIFIC    WEEK. 

Table  No.  12  shows  the  weekly  earnings  during  a  specific  week,  of  7,996 
women  from  whom  this  information  was  obtained.  It  indicates  the 
variation  of  wages  from  week  to  week,  as  can  be  seen  by  comparing 
the  figures  with  those  in  Table  No.  7,  which  shows  the  weekly  earnings 
of  these  same  workers  for  a  full  week. 

One  of  the  reasons  for  this  variation  can  be  attributed  to  the  slack 
periods  which  almost  every  industry  experiences  at  certain  periods  of 
the  year.  In  several  instances,  the  particular  industry  visited  was 
undergoing  the  disturbing  effect  of  changing  styles  in  the  product 
being  manufactured;  the  industry  was  still  undecided  as  to  the  exact 
style  of  goods  that  would,  later,  be  required. 

In  the  appendices  touching  upon  the  conditions  of  employment  in  the 
different  occupations  investigated  this  problem  of  slack  work  on  account 
of  changes  in  style  is  treated  more  in  detail.  Six  and  six-tenths  per  cent 
received  under  $4;  32.1  per  cent  received  under  |G  per  week,  and  48.8 
per  cent  received  under  $7  per  week. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


71 


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72  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

1. KNOT II  OF  SERVICE  IN  PRESENT  OCCUPATION. 

Table  No.  13  shows  the  length  of  service  of  8,355  Michigan  wage-earn- 
ing women  by  present  occupation.  Of  the  store  and  cigar  making  em- 
ployes, over  12  per  cent  have  followed  the  same  occupation  for  10  years 
or  more.  The  overall  group  come  next,  with  7.7  per  cent.  The  seed 
industry  shows  the  largest  percentage — 48.1 — employed  under  one  year. 
This  may  be  directly  ascribed  to  the  seasonal  nature  of  this  industry. 
The  industry  showing  the  largest  percentage  of  employes  in  the  1-  and  2- 
year  group  is  the  hosiery  and  knit  goods,  with  24.5  per  cent.  Of  the 
entire  number  employed,  45.4  per  cent  had  worked  in  their  present  occu- 
pation less  than  two  years,  and  57.8  per  cent  less  than  three  years. 

The  investigators  found  many  instances  in  which  these  "first  year 
workers"  were  trying  to  earn  some  money  in  order  to  buy  a  trousseau, 
expecting  to  be  married  shortly.  This  helps  to  swell  the  number  of 
short-time  workers  greatly  out  of  proportion  to  those  trying  to  learn 
a  trade,  or  those  expecting  to  be  wage-earners  for  a  considerable  period, 
though  there  are  few  who  do  not  expect  to  be  married  "sometime." 
Boys,  on  the  contrary,  generally  start  to  work  with  the  expectation  of 
sticking  to  that  particular  occupation. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


73 


and 


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74 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


SHIFTING  OCCUPATIONS. 

Table  No.  14  shows  the  number  of  occupations  and  the  length  of  time 
4,484  women  have  worked  in  from  one  to  seven  occupations.  It  shows 
the  shifting  of  employment  by  wage-earning  women.  Not  only  do  they 
change  employers  in  the  same  industry,  but  they  also  shift  industries— 
occasionally  as  many  as  seven  in  a  12-month.  Three  girls  changed  their 
occupation  six  times  in  one  year;  the  last  occupation  of  these  girls 
was  that  of  saleswomen  in  a  store.  Four  girls  found  working  in  a  corset 
factory  had  followed  five  different  occupations  in  one  year.  However, 
3,824  or  46  per  cent,  reported  that  they  had  never  followed  any  other 
than  their  present  occupation.  Of  these  latter,  993  were  store  employes, 
544  were  in  the  cigar  industry,  259  worked  in  laundries,  319  were  corset 
makers,  313  made  overalls,  246  were  telephone  operators,  171  made 
paper  and  cigar  boxes),  280  were  garment  workers,  and  128  were  candy 
makers.  While  3,447,  or  41.5  per  cent,  said  they  had  followed  but  one 
other  occupation. 

This  shifting  of  occupations  within  short  periods  is  accounted,  by  a 
number  of  employers,  as  one  of  the  chief  causes  of  inefficiency  for  a 
large  number  of  wage-receiving  women.  They  may  be  trying  to  find 
"something  easier"  or  that  pays  better — two  things  the  persistent  pursuit 
of  which  are  not  consistent  with  proficiency  in  any  occupation. 

Table  No.  ^.—NUMBER  OF  OCCUPATIONS  AND  LENGTH  OF  TIME  IN  WHICH  4,484 
MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  HAVE  BEEN  EMPLOYED,  EXCLUSIVE  OF 
PRESENT  OCCUPATION. 


\ 

Length  of  time  employed. 

All  occupations  other  than  one  in  which  at  present  employed. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

Under  1  year  
1  and  under  2  years  
2  and  under  3  years 

856 
512 
341 
259 
135 
91 
151 
106 
996 

510 
255 
176 
107 
60 
42 
67 
54 
397 

140 
69 
42 
35 
17 
13 
21 
8 
114 

67 
20 

1 

6 
4 

15 
2 
36 

4 

4 
o 

2 

3 
2 

1 

6 

3  and  under  4  years.                          

1 

4  and  under  5  years  

1 

1 

6  and  under  10  years  
10  years  and  over  

11 

Total  

3,447 

1,668 

459 

172 

25 

6 

7 

Number  not  reporting,  50. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  75 

NUMBER  BY  OCCUPATION  REPORTING  "NO  OTHER  OCCUPATION." 

C;u;i!v 128        Paper  and  cigar  boxes 171 

( 'i-irs 544       Seeds 73 

Cores 20       Stores 993 

Corsets 319        Telephone  exchanges 246 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods 193        Tobacco 84 

Laundries 259        Women's  garments y  .  280 

Offices 187        Other  occupations 14 

Overalls 313              Total 3,824 

,  FINES. 

Table  No.  15  shows  the  number  of  women  who  were  fined  by  their 
employers  for  various  causes.  In  37  of  503  establishments  investigated 
G63  employes  acknowledged  they  were  fined.  Each  establishment  has 
a  system  of  its  own.  In  one  establishment  employes  were  permitted  to 
make  up  time  lost  through  tardiness  provided  it  could  be  done  without 
exceeding  the  state  law  limit  of  54  hours  in  the  week,  and  not  more  than 
10  hours  in  any  one  day.  While  many  admitted  that  they  were  "docked" 
if  they  were  tardy,  few  were  able  to  give  any  idea  of  the  sums  they  were 
fined  for  this  reason.  In  one  establishment  employing  piece-work 
operators,  a  fine  was  imposed  if  they  were  five  minutes  late.  A  protest 
from  one  of  the  piece-workers  for  this  brought  the  response  from  the 
manager:  "Our  machinery  is  running  full  time;  we  expect  our  em- 
ployes to  be  here  to  use  it." 

In  some  establishments  where  time-clocks  have  been  installed,  failure 
to  ring  "in,"  or  "out,"  or  punching  the  wrong  time  card,  results  in  a 
fine.  Instances  were  found  where  saleswomen  were  fined  for  wrong 
addresses  on  delivery  packages,  though  the  wrong  address  was  not 
always  the  fault  of  the  saleswoman.  It  not  infrequently  occurred  that 
the  purchaser  inadvertently  gave  the  wrong  address,  but  this  did  not 
exempt  the  saleswoman  from  a  fine. 

Fines  are  imposed  upon  factory  employes  for  various  causes.  In  a 
number  of  establishments  where  knitted  goods  are  manufactured,  an 
operator  dropping  a  stitch  is  fined.  One  operator  told  the  investigator 
that  she  had  been  fined  $2  in  one  pay  for  this  reason ;  another  was  fined 
|1.14,  and  still  another  TO  cents.  One  machine  operator  in  an  estab- 
lishment where  women's  wear  is  made  said  she  was  paid  one  cent  a 
dozen  for  the  work  she  was  doing;  but  if  she  made  a  mistake  she  was 
fined  four  cents.  From  the  employer's  viewpoint  this  was  not  an  ex- 
orbitant charge,  since  the  garment  was  nearly  completed  when  it  reach- 
ed the  operator,  and  the  imperfection  meant  that  the  garment  must  be 
sold  at  a  reduced  price. 

Fines  or  charges  are  imposed  if  operators  perim'1  garments  with  tiaws 
to  pass  through  their  hands;  for  holes  made  by  a  broken  machine 


76 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


needle;  for  machine-oil  stains  on  garments;  for  losing  any  portion  of 
their  supply  of  work  material. 

In  some  of  the  factories  charges  were  made  for  thread,  needles  and 
scissors.  This  amounted  to  a  considerable  sum  in  the  course  of  a  year. 

Saleswomen  were  also  lined  in  some  of  the  establishments  if  they 
made  an  error  in  adding  up  the  sales-slip.  They  were  charged  the 
amount  of  the  error  made. 

The  "fining"  system,  while  seemingly  necessary,  has  a  tendency  to 
clip  the  edge  off  the  weekly  wage  to  a  much  greater  extent  than  this 
table  indicates. 

Table  No.  15.— NUMBER  OF  8,358  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  BY  OCCUPATION 
WHO  WERE  FINED  BY  THEIR  EMPLOYERS  FOR  DEFECTIVE  WORK,  TARDINESS 
AND  OTHER  CAUSES. 


Occupation. 

Number  establishments. 

Number  interrogated. 

Number  fined. 

Causes  of  fines. 

Defective 
work. 

Late  to 
work. 

Breaking 
shop  rules. 

Other 
causes. 

|J 

|l 
fe 

M 

-  & 

jl 

Candy 

18 
30 
9 
8 
13 
63 
109 
9 
18 
3 
155 
35 
5 
23 
5 

296 
807 
99 
835 
462 
746 
396 
685 
360 
212 
2,148 
474 
162 
621 
55 

(a)     6 
None 
(b)     3 
(c)  411 
(d)  58 
(e)    20 
(0    44 
(g)    14 
(h)    13 
None 
(i)    25 
(j)    38 
None 
(k)   29 
(1)      2 

202 
24 

14 

2 

13 
21 

4 

2 

Cigars 

Cores  
Corsets.. 

53 
15 
20 
33 

3 
12 
19 

266 
11 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  

Laundries  
Offices  
Overalls  . 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  
Seeds  
Stores  

11 

5 

2 

8 
2 

10 

20 
23 

Telephone  exchanges 

Tobacco  
Women's  garments  
Other  occupations*  

Total  

503 

8,358 

663 

276 

153 

89 

277 

*    Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties. 

(a)  In  two  establishments. 

(b)  In  one  establishment. 

(c)  In  four  establishments. 

(d)  In  three  establishments. 

(e)  In  four  establishments. 

(f)  In  five  establishments. 


(g)  In  one  establishment, 
(h)  In  one  establishment. 
G)  In  eight  establishments, 
(j)  In  four  establishments, 
(k)  In  three  establishmcntf. 
(1)  In  one  establishment. 


OVERTIME. 

Table  No.  16  shows  the  number  of  establishments  visited  in  which 
women  employes  worked  "overtime."  The  Michigan  law  regulating 
hours  of  employment,  for  women,  in  any  store,  factory,  mill,  workshop, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  77 

laundry,  or  any  mercantile  establishment,  forbids  employers  working 
their  women  employes  for  a  period  longer  than  an  average  of  nine 
hours  per  day,  or  54  hours  per  week;  nor  is  it  permissible  to  work  longer 
than  10  hours  in  any  one  day.  It  also  prohibits  the  employment  of  any 
girl  under  the  age  of  IS  years  in  any  manufacturing  establishment 
between  the  hours  of  G  o'clock  p.  m.  and  6  o'clock  a.  m.  The  telephone 
and  telegraph  companies  are  prohibited  from  employing  any  child  under 
the  age  of  18  years  between  the  hours  of  10  o'clock  p.  m.  and  5  o'clock 
a.  m.  in  the  transmission,  distribution  or  delivery  of  messages  or  mer- 
chandise. This  restraining  law  affecting  the  hours  a  woman  or  girl 
may  be  employed  in  any  one  day,  or  in  any  one  week,  does  not,  at 
present,  protect  those  employed  in  telephone  or  telegraph  service.  How- 
ever, in  the  large  cities,  both  telephone  and  telegraph  companies  have, 
to  a  large  degree,  complied  with  the  spirit  of  the  law  affecting  other 
occupations,  and  it  is  an  exception  for  a  girl  to  be  employed  for  a  period 
longer  than  the  limit  placed  on  other  employments,  unless  under  special 
stress.  This  subject  has  been  treated  in  another  part  of  the  report. 

The  overtime  shown  in  this  table  as  having  been  clone  by  227  tele- 
phone operators,  does  not  therefore,  mean  a  violation  of  any  State  law, 
but  that  the  overtime  reported  is  made  up  from  time  wrorked  after  the 
regular  schedule  time  of  the  operator  has  been  passed. 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  the  knitted  goods  industry  24  reported 
overtime ;  19  of  these  were  paid  for  this  extra  work ;  5  received  nothing. 
Nine  laundry  workers,  11  office  workers,  and  one  woman  in  a  box  fac- 
tory reported  working  hours  exceeding  the  legal  limit. 

Women  are  often  reluctant  to  report  overtime  to  investigators  or 
state  factory  inspectors,  fearing  that  it  may  result  in  the  loss  of  their 
position.  The  Michigan  statute  has  been  in  effect  since  1909,  and  a  sincere 
effort  has  been  made  by  the  state  factory  inspectors  rigidly  to  enforce 
this  provision.  The  law  permits  no  exceptions,  under  which  employers 
may  work  their  employes  overtime,  either  during  rush  seasons  or  during 
holiday  time.  The  employer  is  liable  to  prosecution  if  from  any  cause 
a  wToman  or  girl  in  his  establishment  works  beyond  the  time  limit,  even 
though  it  be  without  his  personal  knowledge.  The  law  specifically 
states  that  any  person  who  violates  or  omits  to  comply  with  any  of  the 
provisions  of  the  act,  or  who  suffers  or  permits  any  child  or  female  to  be 
employed  in  violation  of  its  provisions,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
misdemeanor,  and  on  conviction  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  not  less 
than  $10  or  more  than  $100,  or  by  imprisonment  for  not  less  than  10 
or  more  than  90  days,  or  by  both  such  fine  and  imprisonment  within  the 
discretion  of  the  court. 

.  There  were  instances  found  where  women  or  girls  living  close  to  their 
work,  or  bringing  their  lunches,  worked  during  the  noon  hour,  and  in 
other  cases  some  came  earlier  in  the  morning,  before  schedule  time,  in 


78 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


order  to  earn  a  few  cents  extra.  In  some  cases  this  constitutes  a  viola- 
tion of  the  law  regulating  the  hours  of  labor. 

One  girl,  a  piece  worker,  said  she  went  to  work  as  early  as  6  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  she  tried  to  get  in  extra  time  at  noon,  also.  She 
was  an  apprentice,  and  said  she  made  but  39  cents  Monday — the  most 
she  had  made  that  week.  Another  worker  said:  "Last  week  I  made 
90  cents  every  day.  I  get  to  work  at  6 :15  o'clock  usually ;  I  don't  work 
hard  before  the  whistle  for  beginning  blows,  but  can  earn  a  few  cents 
extra.  At  noon  I  go  home  and  just  eat  and  run  back  again." 

Another  case,  where  the  woman  had  worked  for  the  company  nine 
years,  said :  "I  have  been  making  more,  but  prices  were  cut  a  cent  a 
dozen,  recently.  Before  that  I  could  make  the  same  wages  I  do  now 
and  not  work  the  noon  hour.  Now  I  just  eat  my  lunch  and  commence 
to  work  right  away." 

The  investigators  reported  instances  where  women  were  working  in 
excess  of  the  normal  hours  prevailing  in  their  respective  places  of  em- 
ployment, but  not  exceeding  the  legal  limit.  In  most  instances  these 
were  paid  for  the  extra  time  worked. 

Table  No.  iff.— NUMBER  OF  8,358  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  BY  OCCUPATION 
WHO  WORKED  OVERTIME,  AS  REPORTED  TO  THE  COMMISSION'S  INVESTIGATORS. 


I 

1 

1 

Overtime. 

Occupation. 

I 

feS 
•23 
I  £ 
% 

Number 
interrog 

Number 
reporting. 

With 
pay. 

Without 
pay. 

Candy                                                                          

18 

296 

None 

30 

807 

None 

Cores 

9 

99 

None 

Corsets                                                                                   

8 

835 

None 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods                               .         

13 

462 

(a)   24 

19 

5 

63 

746 

(b)     9 

1 

8 

Offices                                                                                             .    . 

109 

396 

(c)    11 

2 

9 

Overal's         .                                                         

9 

685 

None 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  .            

18 

360 

1 

1 

Seeds                                                                                       .     ... 

3 

212 

None 

Stores                                                                              

155 

2,148 

None 

Telephone  exchanges  

35 

474 

(d)  227 

225 

2 

Tobacco 

5 

162 

None 

Women's  garments                                       .   .   . 

23 

621 

None 

Other  occupations*  

5 

55 

None 

Total                                  

503 

8,358 

272 

247 

25 

*Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties. 

a)  In  three  establishments. 

b)  In  three  establishments. 


(c)  In  eight  establishments. 

(d)  In  21  establishments. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  79 

LOST  TIME. 

Tables  No.  17,  18  and  19  deal  with  the  problem  of  lost  time.  They  indi- 
cate that  the  weekly  wage  must  be  spread  over  a  longer  period  than  the 
week  during  which  it  was  earned.  The  woman  earning  six  dollars  a  week 
when  working,  is,  because  of  lost  time,  compelled  to  live  on  somewhere 
around  five  dollars  a  week;  and  the  wage-earner  whose  envelope  con- 
tains f  S  a  week,  when  she  works,  considers  herself  lucky  if  she  has  an 
average  of  $7  a  week  for  the  full  year. 

Table  No.  17  shows  the  actual  time  lost  by  5,249  wage-earning  wonien 
employed  in  the  same  occupation  the  full  year.  One  of  the  remarkable 
facts  shown  by  this  table  is  the  small  percentage  of  wage-earners  who 
lost  no  time.  That  a  large  majority  lose  not  less  than  five  weeks,  and 
that  a  very  considerable  number  lose  as  much  as  three  months  because 
of  "seasonal"  employments,  is  also  evident. 

Lost  time  by  reason  of  seasonal  employments  is  more  clearly  brought 
out  in  Table  No.  18.  Laundries,  offices,  stores  and  telephone  exchanges 
are  the  only  occupations  in  which  any  considerable  number  lost  no  time. 
Seed  and  candy  workers  are  particularly  affected  because  of  doing 
season  a!  work.  In  these  two  industries  in  no  case  did  a  single  woman 
work  a  full  year. 

The  causes  of  lost  time,  as  shown  in  Table  No.  19,  are  found  to  be,  in 
the  main,  unemployment,  sickness,  holidays,  and  "personal  reasons;" 
which  include  a  variety  of  contingencies.  In  31.3  per  cent  of  the  cases, 
"out  of  employment"  and  "slack  work,"  were  given  as  the  causes  for  lost 
time;  in  41  per  cent  of  the  cases  the  lost  time  was  ascribed  either  to 
personal  or  family  sickness;  while  "holidays"  were  also  the  cause  of  much 
lost  time.  These  overlap  each  other,  some  of  the  workers  having  lost 
time  from  all  the  causes  given. 

Piece-workers  in  garment  factories  lose  time  when  some  part  of  the 
machine  they  operate  breaks.  One  girl,  when  questioned  as  to  the 
amount  of  time  she  lost  from  this  cause,  said:  "Sometimes  the  ma- 
chine does  not  break  all  week,  and  sometimes  it  breaks  every  day." 

Another  girl  said :  "Highest  I  ever  made  was  f  10.  I  get  that  about 
once  in  a  half  year.  Now  I  am  working  on  a  machine  that  runs  terribly 
bad.  Breaks  all  the  time.  Sometimes  it  takes  quite  a  time  before  the 
machinist  gets  here.  Money  is  lost  by  that." 

One  girl  employed  in  a  factory  remarked  to  the  investigator:  "We 
ought  to  have  our  windows  open  farther  but  the  boss  said  the  girls 
'rubbered  out'  of  the  windows  and  lost  too  much  time." 

It  is  probable  that  a  more  complete  tabulation  of  the  information  ob- 
tained would  show  a  total  of  at  least  45,000  weeks  lost  by  the  women 
wage-earners  interrogated. 


80 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


81 


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82 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.   19,— CAUSE   OF   LOST   TIME   OF  7,491   MICHIGAN   WAGE-EARNING   WOMEN 

BY  OCCUPATION. 


Sickness. 

Occupation. 

Number 
establish- 
ments. 

Number 
reporting. 

Out  of 
employ- 
ment 

Slack 
work. 

Personal 

reasons. 

Personal. 

Illness  in 
family. 

Candy  

18 

259 

38 

56 

59 

4 

61 

Cigars  

30 

807 

17 

617 

184 

21 

193 

Cores 

9 

83 

1 

22 

19 

3 

47 

Corsets 

8 

719 

42 

157 

341 

28 

283 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods    , 

13 

434 

5 

204 

176 

22 

152 

Laundries  

63 

611 

33 

9 

284 

48 

270 

Offices 

too 

280 

28 

G 

153 

21 

171 

Overalls  

9 

648 

5 

356 

174 

14 

99 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  

.    18 

355 

14 

71 

115 

24 

130 

Seeds  

3 

206 

23 

62 

60 

6 

24 

Stores  

155 

1,921 

94 

87 

679 

127 

1,117 

Telephone  exchanges  

35 

372 

18 

4 

212 

22 

151 

Tobacco  

5 

162 

2 

162 

27 

4 

30 

Women's  garments  

23 

571 

7 

177 

207 

38 

221 

Other  occupations*  

5 

54 

26 

11 

2 

27 

Total.     ... 

503 

7,491 

327 

2,016 

2,701 

383 

2,976 

*Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties. 

NOTE. — The  time  lost  by  reason  of  legal  holidays  is  not  included  in  this  table. 

THE    WOMAN   "ADRIFT"  EARNS  THE    HIGHER  WAGE. 

Tables  No.  20,  21  and  22  summarize  the  data  gathered  in  regard  to  age, 
experience  and  weekly  earnings  by  occupation  of  the  8,358  women  and 
girls  interrogated;  the  number  living  at  home  and  the  number  "adrift;" 
the  number  who  pay  board,  assist  to  support  others  or  are  helped  by 
relatives  or  friends;  and  the  number  who  contribute  all,  a  part,  or  none 
of  their  earnings  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  family.  It  was  not  possi- 
ble to  obtain  from  ever^  worker  visited  complete  information  dealing 
with  all  the  questions. 

A  study  of  Table  No.  20  discloses  the  fact  that  in  all  but  four  cases  in 
the  industries  investigated,  the  earnings  of  the  women  or  girls  "adrift" 
were  higher  than  the  earnings  of  those  living  at  home.  In  Table  No.  21 
we  find  that  the  occupations  showing  the  largest  percentage  of  women 
adrift  are  the  corset  and  laundry  workers;  36  per  cent  of  the  corset 
workers  and  32.3  per  cent  of  the  laundry  workers  are  "adrift." 

The  industries  showing  the  smallest  per  cent  of  women  or  girls  adrift 
are  paper  and  cigar  boxes,  hosiery  and  knit  goods  and  confectionery. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  83 

The  larger  proportion  of  the  women  employed  in  those  industries  are 
young,  since  many  of  the  occupations  are  of  an  unskilled  nature. 

The  reason  for  the  large  percentage  of  "adrift"  women  in  the  laundries 
is  due,  to  a  considerable  extent,  io  the  fact  that  many  women,  who  have 
I  »ecii  widowed,  or  are  separated  from  their  husbands,  naturally  turn  to 
work  of  this  kind  where  little  training  is  required  outside  that  already 
learned  in  the  home. 

Of  the  2,148,  who  were  found  in  the  store  group,  597,  or  27.8  per  cent, 
were  adrift,  while  1,551,  or  72.2  per  cent,  lived  at  home.  This  may  be 
due 'to  some  extent  to  the  preference  given  by  department  store  officials 
in  the  larger  cities  to  those  applicants  for  positions  who  live  at  home 
or  with  relatives.  The  average  weekly  earnings  of  those  "adrift,"  who 
are  employed  in  stores  are  higher  than  the  earnings  of  those  at  home, 
but  "averages"  are  deceptive  in  the  matter  of  showing  the  economic 
status  of  the  small  wage  workers.  The  store  women  adrift  receive  an 
average  of  $8.99  while  those  living  at  home  average  $7.43. 

In  further  study  of  the  store  group,  it  may  be  observed  that  the  av- 
erage age  of  those  living  at  home  is  24.5  years,  and  that  they  have  had  an 
average  experience  of  between  three  and  four  years;  while  the  average 
age  of  those  adrift  is  27.7  years.  This  group  of  workers  had  between 
four  and  five  years'  experience.  In  nearly  every  instance  as  shown  by  this 
table,  the  average  age  and  wages  received  by  the  woman  adrift  are 
higher  than  of  the  woman  or  girl  living  at  home. 

The  variation  in  the  average  weekly  wage  received  by  the  women  and 
girls  employed  in  the  store  and  office  group  as  compared  with  those  in 
other  occupations  may  be  attributed,  to  some  extent,  to  the  more  regular 
employment  of  store  employes.  Store  wage  "averages"  are  high,  which  is 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  compensation  of  buyers,  heads  of  departments 
and  others  of  like  class  swell  the  figures  above  the  real  normal  average 
for  saleswomen. 

SHARING  IN  FAMILY  EXPENSES. 

Tables  No.  21  and  22  of  this  group  give  a  summary  of  the  informa- 
tion gathered  relating  to  the  number  who  pay  board,  assist  to  sup- 
port others,  or  are  themselves  dependent  to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree  on 
others  to  supplement  their  earnings.  Of  the  8,358  women  interrogated, 
6,232,  or  75  per  cent  lived  at  home.  Of  this  number  5,161,  or  82.8  per 
cent  contributed  to  the  family  income  by  giving,  each  pay  day,  a  varying 
amount  for  board.  A  number  of  those  interviewed  said  that  there  was  no 
stated  amount  they  were  expected  to  contribute.  They  gave  what  they 
could  spare.  Others  said  that  when  they  were  "out  of  work"  they  were  not 
made  to  contribute  other  than  their  personal  services;  others  said  that 
they  were  compelled  later  to  make  up  the  amount  of  board  indebtedness 
when  they  again  returned  to  work.  In  other  cases,  the  arrangement  was 


84  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

for  the  girl  to  buy  things  ,for  the  home  or  to  assist  in  clothing  some 
member  or  members  of  the  family  rather  than  to  pay  a  stated  amount 
for  board. 

Of  the  474  telephone  employes,  307,  or  77.4  per  cent,  lived  at  home, 
and  107,  or  22.0  per  cent  were  adrift.  The  average  weekly  wage  of  those 
adrift  was  $7.42 ;  while  those  living  at  home  received  an  average  of  $6.54. 
These  averages  are  misleading  since  a  study  of  Table  No.  32  shows  that 
none  in  the  Detroit  telephone  exchange  received  under  $6  a  week ;  while 
50  per  cent  received  $10  or  over.  Yet  only  10  girls  in  the  State  outside  of 
Detroit  received  $10  or  over;  while  225  or  47.4  per  cent,  of  the  474 
interrogated,  received  less  than  $6  a  week. 

It  will  be  observed  that  of  the  3G7  telephone  workers  living  at  home, 
288,  or  78.3  per  cent,  paid  board;  81,  or  22  per  cent  still  further  assisted 
by  contributions;  02.9  per  cent  found  it  necessary  to  receive  assistance 
from  others.  Table  No.  22  throws  further  light  on  this  question;  17 
per  cent  of  the  telephone  workers  gave  all  their  earnings  at  home;  05.5 
per  cent  gave  a  part  of  their  earnings,  while  but  17.5  per  cent  gave  none. 

Three  hundred  eighty-seven,  or  84  per  cent,  of  the  women  and  girls 
employed  in  the  knitting  mills  lived  at  home;  330,  or  80.8  per  cent  of 
those  employes  were  paying  board;  290,  or  70.5  per  cent  were  further 
assisted  by  relatives.  Eighty-seven  per  cent  of  those  employed  in  the 
paper  and  cigar  box  industry  lived  at  home;  of  this  number  284,  or  90.0 
per  cent  paid  board,  and  258,  or  82.4  per  cent  were  assisted  by  relatives. 

ASSISTED  BY   OTHERS. 

In  the  tobacco  industry,  73.2  per  cent  of  those  living  at  home  reported 
that  they  contributed  to  the  support  of  others.  This  is  the  greatest 
percentage  shown  in  any  occupation;  and,  in  turn,  these  workers  form 
the  smallest  percentage  receiving  assistance  from  any  source,  only  2.2 
per  cent  being  in  that  group.  In  the  paper  and  cigar  box  industry, 
only  8.5  per  cent  of  the  adrift  group  reported  that  they  assisted  others; 
while  82.4  per  cent  of  those  living  at  home  and  53.2  per  cent  of  those 
adrift,  in  that  occupation,  reported  receiving  assistance  from  others. 
This  is  the  largest  percentage  shown  as  receiving  assistance  from  others. 
Of  the  store  employes,  02.2  per  cent  of  those  living  at  home,  and  53 
per  cent  of  those  adrift  reported  that  they  were  assisted  by  others,  while 
19.3  per  cent  of  those  living  at  home  and  17.8  per  cent  of  those  adrift 
said  they  assisted  in  the  support  of  others. 

The  average  weekly  earnings  of  the  adrift  candy  workers  was  $0.77, 
while  the  candy  worker  living  at  home  received  an  average  of  $0.30.  The 
average  age  of  those  in  this  occupation  who  lived  at  home  was  20.7  years, 
as  compared  with  24.3  for  those  adrift.  Contrary  to  the  general  trend, 
those  living  at  home,  in  this  industry,  had  a  longer  period  of  service  or 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  85 

experience  to  their  credit  than  those  adrift,  those  at  home  having  2.2 
years'  experience,  and  those  adrift  1.7  years'  experience.  This  may  be 
(raced  to  the  prevailing  low  wages  in  this  industry.  The  larger  per- 
centage of  the  workers  adrift  would  thus  be  forced  into  better  paid 
occupations,  since  increased  years  of  experience  in  candy  factories  do 
not  oft'er  any  material  increase  in  wages. 

"HELPING  MOTHER." 

Many  living  at  home  said  that  they  paid  no  stated  amount  for  board, 
but  they  gave  interesting  information  touching  the  matter  of  contribut- 
ing to  the  expenses  of  the  family.  In  some  cases  what  they  paid  was 
much  more  than  regular  board  would  have  cost. 

"If  I  hear  mother  say  she  wants  anything,  I  try  to  get  it  for  her  if  I 
can  afford  it." 

"My  sister  and  myself  keep  up  the  house;  mother  is  an  invalid;  we 
do  our  own  ironing;  I  have  to  stay  home  with  mother  evenings." 

"Father  hasn't  worked  in  14  years;  my  sister  and  myself  support  the 
family." 

"I  buy  furniture  for  mother,  and  clothes  for  my  sister." 

"When  mother  and  I  first  began  working,  we  were  in  poor  circum- 
stances, and  I  gave  all  my  earnings  to  her.  I  have  always  followed  this 
custom ;  it  would  break  her  heart  if  I  asked  to  keep  part  of  my  wages." 

"I  do  not  pay  board,  but  I  buy  the  coal." 

"I  support  my  mother,  and  a  niece  whose  parents  are  dead." 

"I  help  support  an  invalid  mother." 

"My  parents  are  separated;  my  mother,  my  sister  and  I  are  trying 
to  buy  a  home." 

"I  support  a  mother  and  an  invalid  sister." 

"I  buy  the  clothes  for  my  little  brother  and  a  sister." 

"My  four  brothers  and  myself  support  a  family  of  eight." 

"I  buy  mother  a  dress  occasionally." 

"Mother  doesn't  give  me  any  spending  money.  Says  she  needs  all  my 
earnings.  I  would  like  a  little  spending  money  each  week." 


86 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  ^.—NUMBER  LIVING  AT  HOME  WHO  CONTRIBUTE  OR  DO  NOT  CONTRIBUTE 
TOWARD  THE  SUPPORT  OF  THE  FAMILY. 


Occupation. 

Total  number  reporting 
weekly  earnings. 

Average  weekly  earnings. 

Number  contributing. 

Number  report- 
ing. 

All  their 
earnings. 

Part  of  their 
earnings. 

None  of  their 
earnings. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Candy 

245 
662 
74 
527 
383 
499 
308 
503 
306 
159 
1,539 
366 
131 
429 
42 

$6  30 
8  31 
8  56 
7  76 
6  71 
7  08 
9  17 
8  30 
6  50 
6  35 
7  43 
6  54 
7  89 
7  90 
6  87 

240 
663 
74 
520 
376 
465 
285 
500 
309 
159 
1,440 
349 
131 
376 
42 

124 

529 
36 
221 
146 
199 
65 
236 
188 
101 
293 
59 
110 
130 
21 

51.7 

79.8 
48.6 
43.0 
39.0 
42.8 
22.8 
47.2 
61.0 
63.5 
20.3 
17.0 
84.0 
34.6 
50.0 

87 
116 
21 
288 
193 
221 
168 
194 
96 
54 
838 
229 
21 
213 
11 

36.2 
17.5 
28.4 
55.0 
51.0 
47.5 
59.0 
38.8 
31.0 
34.0 
58.2 
65.5 
16.0 
56.6 
26.2 

29 
18 
17 
11 
37 
45 
52 
70 
25 
4 
309 
61 

33 
10 

12.1 

2.7 
23.0 
2.0 
10.0 
9.7 
18.2 
14.0 
8.0 
2.5 
21.5 
17.5 

8.8 
23.8 

Cigars  .  .  . 

Cores  

Corsets  

Hosiery  and  knit  goods 

Laundries  
Offices  +. 

Overalls 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  

Seeds  . 

Stores    

Telephone  exchanges  
Tobacco  
Women's  garments  
Other  occupations*  

Total 

6,173 

$7  52 

5,929 

2,458 

41.5 

2,750 

46.4 

721 

12.1 

*Shoes,  woolen  goods,  fibre  works  and  metal  specialties. 

HOW   THE   ADRIFT   ARE   HOUSED. 

Table  No.  23  shows  how  2,126  women  "adrift"  are  housed.  Those 
living  with  relatives  or  friends  make  the  largest  group — 1,381,  or  64.9 
per  cent.  Those  living  with  strangers  number  588,  or  27.7  per  cent ;  153, 
or  7.2  per  cent,  did  light  housekeeping.  Many  of  thf^  latter  group  were 
widows  or  were  separated  from  their  husbands.  The  "home"  instinct 
was  still  strong,  and  in  the  breaking  up  of  the  home,  different  articles 
of  furniture  valued  more  for  the  sake  of  old  associations  than  for  any 
other  reason,  were  made  the  nucleus  for  a  new  "home." 

Others,  who  were  single,  joined  with  one  or  more  of  their  co-workers 
either  for  economic  reasons  or  for  companionship,  and  in  one  or  more 
rooms,  as  their  wages  permitted,  cooked  all  or  a  part  of  their  meals 
themselves,  and  in  addition  did  their  sewing  and  laundry  Avork.  One 
worker  who  shared  her  room  with  a  friend,  said  they  had  a  small  al- 
cohol burner  and  prepared  their  own  breakfasts  and  suppers  in  their 
room.  For  brcnkfasi,  ilicy  had  fniil,  coffee,  bread  and  butter  and  a 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  80 

fried-cake  each;  for  supper,  bread  and  buitcr,  a  sauce  of  some  kind,  a 
vegetable  and  cake.  Sometimes  they  had  a  salad,  and  occasionally  cheese 
and  celery.  For  lunch,  they  never  spent  over  15  cents — sometimes  only 
10  cents.  They  were  permitted  to  wash  out  a  part  of  their  soiled  clothes 
in  the  bathroom.  This  woman  said  she  knew  of  girls  who  go  without 
eating  in  order  to  be  able  to  buy  the  clothes  necessary  to  retain  their 
positions. 

Of  those  reporting  on  room  accommodations,  54.2  per  cent  reported 
their  sleeping  room  comfortably  heated.  Whether  or  not  the  sleeping 
rooms  of  the  others  were  uncomfortable  it  is  not  possible  to  state  from 
the  reports  submitted,  as  many  were  loath  to  find  fault  with  their  accom- 
modations, even  when  they  were  not  all  what  they  should  be.  A  little 
over  57  per  cent  reported  their  rooms  were  properly  lighted,  and  58.1 
per  cent  said  their  rooms  were  well  ventilated. 

Of  those  adrift,  1,593  reported  on  home  toilet  conditions  where  they 
roomed;  86.5  per  cent  said  they  were  good;  11.1  per  cent  said  "fair," 
and  2.4  per  cent  thought  they  were  bad. 

Some  598  shared  their  room  with  others — at  times-  two  or  more  shared 
the  same  bed.  One  girl,  a  telephone  operator  receiving  $20  per  month, 
said  she  slept  on  a  davenport  with  two  children.  In  many  cases  where 
more  than  two  shared  the  same  room,  an  extra  bed  was  provided. 
Eighty-seven  of  those  adrift  said  they  had  no  place  to  entertain  their 
company;  one  girl  said  that  she  was  not  allowed  to  have  company 
where  she  roomed,  but  that  her  "friend"  could  call  for  her.  Twenty  said 
they  never  had  any  company.  The  problem  of  entertaining  company, 
that  those  adrift  have  to  meet,  is  treated  in  detail  in  the  appendix  on 
rooming  conditions  in  large  cities. 


90 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  91 

NUMBER  IN   FAMILIES   OP  THOSE   WHO   LIVE  AT   HOME. 

Table  No.  24  gives  by  occupation  the  number  in  the  families  of  the 
6,232  interrogated  who  lived  at  home.  Of  this  number  94.4  per  cent 
reported.  There  were  26,864  members  in  the  families  of  the  5,884  re- 
porting, in  addition  to  the  one  interrogated.  This  is  an  average  of  4.6 
persons  in  each  family,  which,  it  must  be  kept  in  mind,  never  in  this 
table  includes  the  one  interrogated.  The  question  answered  was:  "How 
many  in  your  family  beside  yourself?'7  The  tobacco  industry  showed 
the  largest  percentage,  having  an  average  of  5.6  persons  to  the  family, 
while  the  cigar  industry  comes  next,  with  a  percentage  of  5.5  persons. 
Stores  showed  the  wage-earners  connected  Avith  the  smallest  families— 
3.9  per  cent.  One  girl  employed  in  the  box  industry  was  one  of  a  family 
of  20.  Workers  in  each  of  the  cigar,  laundry,  overall  and  women's  gar- 
ment industries  reported  14  persons  in  the  family,  while  128  had  fami- 
lies of  10  persons. 


92 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  93 

WEEKLY     EXPENDITURES    OF    WAGE-EARNING    WOMEN. 

Tables  No.  IT)  and  iMI  show  the  weekly  earnings  and  the  weekly  ex- 
penditures of  the  woman  at  home  and  the  woman  "adrift."  It  was  not 
possible  to  obtain,  from  all  the  women  interviewed,  data  for  all  the 
questions  asked.  As  a  result  the  numbers  reporting  on  each  item  of 
expenditures  vary. 

The  average  weekly  earnings  of  the  2,100  "adrift"  women  reporting, 
was  |8.29,  while  the  average  weekly  earnings  of  the  home  woman  was 
If 7.52.  The  "adrift"  woman  pays  on  an  average  $4.13  for  room  and  board 
while  her  home-living  sister  pays  $3.42.  The  average  weekly  expenditure 
for  clothes  shows  but  a  slight  variation  between  the  amounts  paid.  The 
women  at  home  paid  four  cents  a  week  more. 

A  significant  fact  to  be  considered  in  the  study  of  the  general  average 
of  weekly  earnings  of  both  the  "home"  and  "adrift"  woman  is  that 
while  the  general  average  of  the  home  woman  is  shown  to  be  $7.52; 
3,539,  or  57.3  per  cent  of  those  reporting  received  less ;  while  1,106  or  52.7 
per  cent  of  those  "adrift"  received  less  than  the  general  average  wage 
of  $8.29. 

The  average  earnings  of  those  women  at  home  receiving  less  than  the 
general  average  of  $7.52  is  $6.99,  and  $7.39,  for  the  "adrift"  women,  who 
received  less  than  the  general  average  of  $8.29. 

This  is  also  true  in  the  general  average  weekly  amounts  expended  for 
all  other  items  in  these  two  tables.  While  the  general  average  amount 
spent  for  clothes  by  the  home  woman  is  $2;  in  10  of  the  industries 
studied  the  women  spent  less  than  this  general  average.  The  general 
average  amount  spent  for  clothes  by  the  "adrift"  woman  is  $1.96;  in  11 
of  the  industries  studied  the  average  is  less.  This  fact  should  be  kept 
in  mind  when  studying  these  tables.  General  averages  are  misleading. 

In  such  industries  as  the  cores,  cigars,  tobacco  and  seed,  the  girls, 
living  at  home,  who  give  their  parents  their  pay  envelopes,  or  are 
at  least  considered  family  breadwinners,  give  more,  irrespective  of  the 
size  of  the  wage,  for  board  than  if  they  were  "adrift."  While  in  the 
industries  such  as  stores,  telephone  exchanges  and  offices,  where  the 
girls  work  to  supply  their  own  necessities,  they  for  the  most  part  pay  less 
at  home  than  they  would  elsewhere.  Women  "adrift"  working  in  down- 
town districts  in  laundries,  offices,  stores,  telephone  exchanges  and 
women's  garment  shops,  have  to  find  accommodations  in  rooming  dis- 
tricts, rather  than  in  neighborhood  localities,  and  have  to  pay  more  on 
this  account.  Women  in  offices,  stores  and  telephone  exchanges  "adrift" 
get  more  and  pay  more  for  clothes  as  well  as  board,  than  those  in  the 
same  occupation  living  at  home. 

The  core-worker  "adrift"  receives  less  and  expends  less.  The  paper 
and  cigar-box  worker  receives  more,  pays  about  the  same  for  board,  but 


94  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

much  more  for  clothes  than  the  "at  home"  girl  in  the  same  industry. 
As  a  rule  these  girls  are  very  young.  The  cigar  worker  "adrift"  gets 
more  but  spends  less  on  both  clothes  and  board  than  the  girl  at  home 
in  that  industry. 

In  certain  establishments,  while  the  employes  are  paid  each  week,  a 
week's  wages  is  kept  back.  In  other  establishments  pay  day  comes  but 
every  two  weeks  or  semi-monthly.  Many  complaints  were  received  by 
the  investigators  against  withholding  pay  or  payments  less  often  than 
once  a  week,  which  not  infrequently  resulted  in  hardships  to  those  who 
were  at  best  low-paid  workers. 

SOME    HAVE    TIME    TO    DO    THEIR    SEWING. 

Several  facts  are  to  be  remembered  in  studying  the  tables  on  ex- 
penditures for  clothes.  In  some  industries,  girls  do  not  work  Saturday 
afternoon;  in  some,  work  is  "seasonal;"  in  some,  "slack."  In  these 
cases,  girls  have  more  time  to  do  their  own  sewing.  Take  a  girl  who 
works  in  a  laundry,  for  instance;  frequently  she  does  not  work  Monday 
forenoon  or  Saturday  afternoon;  then,  too,  her  work  does  not  require 
extra  expense  in  clothes.  The  store  worker  must  be  on  duty  six  days, 
full  time,  and  she  must  always  look  neat.  Her  average  wage  is  about 
the  same  as  that  of  the  laundry  girl.  In  case  she  works  in  a  dry  goods 
store  she  can  dress  cheaper  since  she  gets  a  per  cent  off  on  all  she  buys. 
The  temptation  to  take  advantage  in  bargains,  however,  is  very  great. 

The  average  wage  of  a  girl  working  in  a  telephone  exchange  is  less 
than  either  the  wage  of  one  working  in  a  store  or  laundry.  The  average 
long  hours  of  work  or  "broken  shift  hours"  prevent  her  from  making 
her  own  clothes,  even  if  she  were  able  to.  She  gets  no  per  cent  off  and 
yet  the  need  to  dress  is  accentuated  by  the  fact  that  on  account  of  "shift" 
hours  she  is  on  the  street  much  more  than  girls  in  other  occupations. 
And  she  is  so  young. 

REMARKS    ON    COST    OF    CLOTHES. 

Following  remarks  were  made  by  girls  when  asked  by  the  investi- 
gators to  give  the  cost  of  their  clothes : 

"Goodness,  I  can't  buy  clothes  and  lunches,  too." 

"Got  to  be  always  going  on  a  cheap  scale;  have  to  buy  everything 
cheap." 

"Clothes  cost  alright." 

"Well,  if  a  girl  can't  afford  fo  buy  her  clothes,  she  will  get  them  some 
way,  I  suppose." 

"Have  to  buy  all  my  clothes  on  the  installment. plan;  fl  down  and 
f  1  per  week." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  95 

"Can't  afford  new  clothes.  Wear  iny  old  ones  just  as  long  as  they 
will  hang  together." 

"I  do  all  my  own  sewing  after  work  hours;  sometimes  I  trim  over 
n iv  own  hats." 

COST  OP  LAUNDRY  WORK. 

The  women  living  at  "home"  paid  more  for  laundry  than  did  those 
"adrift."  A  large  proportion  of  those  "adrift"  did  their  own  laundry, 
either  before  leaving  for  work  in  the  early  morning  hours,  or  after  they 
returned  at  night.  Not  infrequently  both  the  "home"  and  the  "adrift" 
women  said  they  did  their  laundry  work  on  Sundays.  The  cigar 
group  expended  more  for  laundry  than  those  in  any  of  the  other  occupa- 
tions. While  the  average  weekly  amount  expended  by  the  candy  workers 
living  at  home  may  seem  large,  included  in  this  group  is  a  forewoman, 
who  is  a  widow,  and  who  said  her  laundry  cost  $1.50  a  week.  This  brings 
up  the  average  for  that  group  of  workers. 

COST   OF  AMUSEMENTS. 

The  "home"  girl  spent  more  for  amusements  and  recreation  than  the 
"adrift"  woman.  The  girls  at  home  should  have  the  advantage  of  those 
living  away  from  home  in  this  respect.  Not  infrequently  the  woman 
at  home  would  say  to  the  investigator :  "I  never  go  out  evenings.  We 
have  our  good  times  at  home." 

The  general  average  weekly  amount  spent  by  the  "at  home"  girl  was 
59  cents.  The  weekly  expenditures  studied  by  occupations,  show  that  in 
eight  industries  the  amount  spent  weekly  averaged  less  than  this  general 
average.  The  occupation  in  which  the  women  reported  spending  the  most 
money  for  amusement  or  recreation  was — not  including  the  "other  oc- 
cupations" investigated— the  office  girls.  The  garment  workers  come 
next. 

The  "beau"  plays  an  important  role  in  this  part  of  the  expenditures 
of  the  average  working  girl.  She  is  proud  of  having  someone  to  take 
her  to  places  of  amusement,  and  she  looks  with  "pity"  upon  the  less 
"fortunate"  girl. 

The  "adrift"  woman  spent  57  cents  a  week.  Those  working  in  the 
seed  establishments  show  the  largest  expenditure  in  this  direction.  The 
telephone  operators  come  next,  and  the  office  girls  third.  Following 
are  a  few  of  the  illuminating  remarks  made  by  the  women  when  asked 
for  the  weekly  amounts  expended  in  this  way: 

MANY   SPEND   NOTHING   ON  PLEASURES. 

"Once  in  a  long  time  I  go  to  a  show.  I  usually  have  mending  to  do; 
where  there  are  several  children  to  be  looked  after,  it  doesn't  leave  time 
for  recreation," 


96  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

"When  sister  and  I  have  done  our  housework,  we  usually  sit  down 
and  rest  until  bed  time." 

"I  don't  know  the  meaning  of  the  words  'amusement'  and  'recre- 
ation.' I  have  all  I  can  do  to  earn  enough  to  live  on.  Never  go  out 
evenings  except  Saturday  when  I  do  my  shopping.  If  I  got  what  \vas 
really  necessary  for  me  to  have,  I  wouldn't  be  able  to  save  anything." 

"Sometimes  I  go  to  a  show  when  someone  takes  me.  I  get  more  good 
out  of  going  to  church." 

"Husband  and  I  don't  care  for  the  shows.  Usually  we  remain  at 
home.  We  haven't  gotten  acquainted  with  the  church  people  yet." 

"A  crowd  of  us  girls  go  to  the  public  dances.  We  pay  our  own  way— 
25  cents — and  we  can  dance  all  the  evening  for  that  cost." 

"Ice  cream,  picture  shows,  just  as  many  as  I  can  afford.  Sometimes 
twice  a  week.  Have  to  pay  for  a  girl  friend  I  take  along." 

"I  can't  afford  amusements,  and  go  without  them,  unless  a  friend  takes 
me." 

"All  I  want  when  night  conies  is  rest.  When  you  work  all  day  you 
don't  feel  much  like  amusements.  I  belong  to  a  lodge,  but  I  don't  go 
once  in  six  months." 

"Stay  home  and  enjoy  my  children's  company.  They  play  and  sing 
and  that  is  a  pleasure  for  me." 

"Candy  and  ice  cream  once  in  a  great  while.  I  haven't  been  to  a  show  in  a 
long  time.  Talk  over  the  'phone  evenings  with  my  girl  friends  or  sew. 
I  am  usually  too  tired  to  go  out." 

"I  don't  go  out  much  evenings.  Sometimes  I  take  a  walk.  I  don't 
care  much  for  the  movies.  I  think  a  girl  lucky  nowadays  who  has  all 
she  wants  to  eat  and  a  place  to  sleep." 

"I  play  tennis  and  have  fun  taking  pictures  with  my  kodak." 

"Real  good  show  two  or  three  times  each  year.  It  hurts  my  eyes  to 
attend  the  movies." 

"Go  to  high  school  dances  and  to  some  public  dances  at  the  Lake. 
Nice  people  attend.  I  take  mother  to  the  movies." 

"Take  street  car  rides;  ice  cream  and  candy.  I  go  to  the  park  when 
they  have  free  band  concerts." 

"Mother  gives  me  back  fifty  cents  each  week.  I  go  to  the  picture  shows, 
go  roller  skating,  buy  ice  cream  and  candy,  and  have  a  good  time." 

"Nearly  always  home  evenings.  Once  in  a  while  I  go  to  a  show  or 
to  a  band  concert." 

"I  have  one  room  Avith  kitchen  privileges.  It  is  cheaper  than  to  room 
and  board.  The  room  costs  $1.25  and  is  lighted  by  a  lamp.  For  lunch 
I  have  bread,  butter  and  fruit;  for  supper,  I  often  cook  potatoes.  I 
usually  spend  my  evenings  sewing  and  mending,  except  in  the  middle 
of  the  week  when  I  attend  prayer  service." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  97 

"Movies  1'or  myself,  ice  cream  and  candy  for  my  children  and  mother." 

kil  have  a  beau,  Sundays,  and  perhaps  once  a  week.  I  remain  home 
other  nights." 

Factory  worker — 29  years  of  age;  single;  lives  at  home:  "I  have 
not  boon  away  from  the  house  but  one  Saturday  night  so  far  this  year. 
Too  tired  when  I  reach  home.  I  don't  really  care  about  going  out 
nights." 

"I  spend  for  candy  and  ice  cream  for  my  daughter,  but  I  get  my  recre- 
ation through  my  lodge." 

CAR  FARES. 

Comparing  the  amounts  spent  for  car  fare  by  these  workers,  it  is 
found  that  the  adrift  woman  pays  less  than  the  woman  living  at  home — 
46  cents  expended  by  the  "adrift"  woman  and  52  cents  by  the  woman 
living  at  home.  The  occupations  of  those  adrift  showing  the  largest 
expenditure  in  this  direction  are  the  seed  and  telephone  industries;  office 
employes  come  next.  Home  workers  employed  in  the  seed  and  tele- 
phone industries  average  the  same  weekly  amount  for  car  fare.  The 
logical  reason  for  those  in  the  seed  industry,  both  those  living  at  home 
and  those  'adrift"  expending  a  higher  average  than  those  in  most  other 
occupations  is  the  "seasonal"  nature  of  this  industry.  The  majority  of 
the  workers  are  of  foreign  birth  or  foreign  parentage,  and  these  usually 
have  homes  in  the  distant  parts  of  the  city,  where  "father"  can  have 
his  garden  and  keep  a  few  chickens.  The  "adrift"  woman  of  foreign 
birth  or  parentage  is  quite  apt  to  seek  lodgings  with  those  of  her  own 
nationality. 

Many  instances  were  reported  where  girls  were  forced,  through  the 
low  wages  they  were  receiving,  to  walk  several  miles,  twice  a  day,  to  and 
from  their  work.  They  rode  only  when  the  weather  did  not  permit  them 
to  walk. 

DOCTORS'  vs.  DENTISTS'  BILLS. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  investigation  no  special  effort  was  made  to 
separate  the  amounts  paid  for  doctors'  and  dentists'  services*  It  soon 
became  apparent  that  the  amount  expended  by  the  women  for  dental 
treatment  would  exceed  that  expended  for  medical  treatment  (except 
in  cases  where  operations  were  necessary)  and  an  attempt  was  made,  as 
far  as  possible,  during  the  balance  of  the  investigation  to  separate  these 
two  expenditures. 

The  general  average  weekly  amount  spent  by  those  living  at  home 
for  doctor  and  dentist  treatments  was  40  cents;  for  doctors,  55  cents; 
and  for  dentists,  32  cents.  The  woman  "adrift"  spent  52  cents  for 
doctors'  and  dentists'  charges;  60  cents  for  doctors,  and  33  cents  for 
dentists. 

13 


98  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

That  the  public  is  becoming  aroused  to  the  great  danger  from  the 
neglect  of  the  teeth  of  the  child  is  evinced  through  the  action  of  the 
school  boards  of  various  cities.  Appropriations  for  the  care  of  the 
teeth  of  such  children  whose  parents  are  unable  to  pay  the  expenses  for 
such  treatment  have  been  made.  An  investigation  in  New  York  City 
brought  out  the  astounding  fact  that  about  97  per  cent  of  the  children 
of  the  public  schools  had  defective  teeth,  and  as  such  were  susceptible 
to  a  varied  number  of  maladies.  Among  others,  such  ills  as  follow 
malnutrition  were  evident;  earache  and  neuralgia  of  the  head  it  was 
shown  were  also  directly  due  to  decayed  teeth;  and  lastly,  there  was 
the  dread  sarcoma. 

MANY    TOO   POOR  TO    HAVE  TEETH    LOOKED    AFTER. 

The  realization  of  the  imperative  necessity  for  oral  hygiene,  which 
has  recently  been  brought  forward  forcibly,  has  not  been  in  vain.  This 
fact  is  apparent  from  the  reports  which  show  a  considerable  outlay 
on  the  part  of  the  persons  investigated : 

"I  still  owe  on  dentist  bill.    I  pay  $1  a  week." 

"I  have  got  to  have  my  teeth  looked  after  soon.  I  owe  a  big  doctor's 
bill  for  services  at  time  of  daughter's  illness." 

"  I  couldn't  afford  to  have  teeth  attended  to,  so  my  brother  paid  the 
bill  for  me." 

"My  teeth  need  attention  right  now.  I  have  other  bills  to  meet." 
(This  girl  earns  |7  a  week.) 

"Wish  I  could  afford  to  have  my  teeth  fixed." 

"Should  help  mother,  but  can't  on  wages  I  earn.  I  should  have  my 
teeth  looked  after,  but  I  haven't  money  to  do  so." 

"I've  got  to  have  my  teeth  attended  to.  I  should  have  had  that  done 
last  year  but  I  couldn't  afford  it." 

"I  have  both  doctor  and  dentist  bills  to  pay — bad  stomach  trouble; 
teeth  decaying.  No  money  to  have  them  looked  after  as  I  should." 

"One  hundred  fifty  dollar  doctor  bill  last  year  and  |20  to  a  dentist." 

"I  owe  a  doctor  bill  of  f  100 ;  my  teeth  need  attention  but  I  haven't  the 
money." 

"I  am  taking  treatments  from  a  doctor;  75  cents  every  two  weeks." 

"My  mother  had  to  pay  my  doctor  bill  and  she  couldn't  really  afford 
to." 

"I'm  obliged  to  doctor  all  the  time." 

"Use  patent  medicine,  always  doctoring." 

"Have  had  six  operations  in  seven  years." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  U9 

FOR    CIIl  ItCIIKS    AND    CHARITY. 

One  of  the  questions  asked  those  interrogated  was  the  amount  they 
gave  to  Hie  church  and  to  charity.  A  study  of  these  tables  discloses  the 
fad"  that  15  cents  was  the  general  average  weekly  amount  expended 
in  this  way  by  the  woman  "adrift."  The  woman  at  home  gave  14  cents. 
The  office  woman  "adrift"  gave  the  largest  average  weekly  amount; 
the  seed  and  candy  workers  corne  next  with  the  garment  workers  a  close 
third. 

Of  the  women  living  at  home,  the  office  workers  again  head  the  list. 
One  office  woman  employe  said  that  she  contributed  $150  to  her  church 
last  year.  A  number  had  pledged  one-tenth  of  their  earnings.  The  store 
women  come  next,  with  those  employed  in  overall  factories  third. 

If  all  attended  church  who  contributed  a  portion  of  their  earnings,  a 
study  of  these  two  tables  would  be  of  interest  at  this  time  when  so  much 
effort  is  being  made  to  bring  the  public  to  the  church  at  least  once  on 
Sunday.  Of  the  8,358  \vomen  interrogated  on  this  question,  only'  55.3 
per  cent  attended  any  church.  Following  are  a  few  of  the  many  ex- 
planations given  why  the  women  and  girls  didn't  attend  church: 

"Sunday  only  day  I  have  to  rest." 

"I'm  tired  when  Sunday  comes." 

"My  parents  always  wanted  me  to  attend  church,  but  I  don't  know 
many  of  the  girls  and  don't  like  to  go  alone." 

"I  don't  have  clothes  to  wear  to  church;  I  would  like  to  go." 

"I  can't  give  much  for  church." 

"I've  forgotten  what  church  looks  like  inside  since  I've  been  working." 

"Neglect  going  to  church.    Out  of  the  habit." 

"I  used  to  go  to  "church.    I'm  going  to  start  again." 

"I  don't  go  to  church  since  I  came  here.    I  don't  like  to  go  alone." 

"I'm  too  tired  to  move  Sundays." 

"I  don't  go  as  often  as  I  used  to;  I  get  so  tired  out  that  I  like  to 
rest  Sundays." 

"I  go  to  night  school;  I'm  studying  Sundays." 

"Sunday  is  the  only  morning  I  have  to  sleep." 

"Was  forced  to  go  to  church  when  I  was  a  kid  from  the  time  I  was 
four  until  I  was  fourteen,  three  or  four  times  a  Sunday,  until  I  was 
tired  of  it.  I  had  all  I  wanted.  I  never  attend  now,  except  when  my 
little  daughter  takes  part  in  the  Sunday  school  entertainment." 

"I  go  to  church  once  in  a  while  when  I  don't  go  fishing  or  somewhere 
else." 

Widow  45  years  of  age,  paying  for  her  home  by  keeping  roomers.  All 
girls ;  they  care  for  their  own  rooms :  "I  take  my  amusement  practicing 
on  the  piano.  I  can't  often  go  to  church — not  oftener  than  once  or 
t  \\ire  a  year.  1  have  too  much  work  to  do  Sundays.  I'm  home  late 


100  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

Saturday  nights.  I  need  to  sleep  later  Sundays.  Sorry,  too,  for  I  like 
our  minister  so  much."  (Earns  |6  a  week  as  saleswoman.) 

"I  don't  go  to  church.  I  haven't  been  for  two  years.  I  used  to  go. 
Father  had  a  'spat'  with  the  minister  and  he  wouldn't  let  us  go.  I  don't 
enjoy  going  to  other  churches." 

"I  don't  often  go  to  church.  T  thought  once  that  I  couldn't  live  unless 
I  went  once  or  twice  every  Sunday.  Since  I  began  working  I  need  the 
rest."  (This  woman  is  59  years  of  age.) 

"I  don't  often  go  to  church.  I  have  too  much  work  to  get  baby  ready 
and  I  take  care  of  him  Sundays." 

"I  used  to  do  housework  for  a  living.  I  never  could  go  to  church 
then ;  that  is  why  I  took  up  laundry  work." 

"I  attend  church  once  in  a  while.  I  don't  go  often.  I'm  tired  out. 
I  enjoy  going  but  I  haven't  the  ambition — all  tired  out,  but  can't  af- 
ford to  lose  any  time.  I've  been  here  two  years  and  no  increase  in 
salary  in  that  time."  ($9  a  week  salesgirl.  Room  and  board  cost  her 
16.) 

"I've  so  much  to  do  on  Sunday.  It's  the  only  free  day  I  have  to  do  my 
ironing." 

"I  haven't  been  to  church  of  late.  I  have  lo  work  on  Sundays — 
.housework  to  do." 

"I  always  have  to  work  on  Sundays.  I  believe  that  if  I  had  some  one 
to  go  with  me  I  would  go."  (Single.) 

LITTLE    SPENT    FOR    READING    MATTER. 

Beading  matter  is  the  only  item  in  the  tables  of  weekly  expenditures 
that  may  be  obtained  free.  With  public  libraries  in  each  city  in  the 
State  the  working  woman  is  not  forced  to  spend  any  great  amount  in 
this  way.  That  she  takes  advantage  of  this  opportunity  is  obvious. 
The  general  average  weekly  expenditure  by  the  girl  at  home  is  but  eight 
cents;  while  that  of  the  woman  "adrift"  is  12  cents.  The  woman  at 
home,  again,  has  the  advantage  of  her  "adrift"  co-worker  in  this  respect. 

The  office  and  corset  workers  adrift  each  expended,  on  an  average,  16 
cents  per  week  for  reading  matter.  This  is  the  highest  average  amount 
spent  by  any  of  the  adrift  workers.  The  store,  office,  corset  and  core- 
makers  in  the  home  group  all  paid  an  average  of  nine  cents  a  week  for 
reading. 

Following  are  a  few  of  the  remarks  made  by  the  women  regarding 
the  amount  expended  for  books,  etc. : 

"You  need  something  besides  reading  after  sitting  down  all  day." 
x  "I  am  too  tired  to  read." 

"I  am  too  tired  to  look  at  books.  I  would  rather  lie  down  on  a 
couch." 

"We  are  quite  hands  to  stay  at  home  and  read." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  101 

FOR  UNIONS/CLUBS,  SOCIETIES  AND  INSURANCE. 

The  general  average  weekly  amount  expended  by  the  woman  living 
at  home,  for  unions,  clubs  and  societies  was  eight  cents;  by  the  woman 
"adrift"  nine  cents.  The  cigar  workers  "adrift"  paid  out  the  highest 
weekly  average — 19  cents.  The  woman  overall  worker  living  at  home 
comes  next  with  an  average  weekly  expenditure  of  11  cents.  It  costs 
the  office  workers  more  per  week  for  insurance  than  any  other  group 
investigated.  The  women  in  this  occupation  who  were  living  at  home 
paid  on  an  average,  38  cents  a  week  for  insurance.  The  garment  workers 
come  second.  In  the  "adrift"  column  we  find  that  the  store  workers 
paid  out  the  highest  weekly  average — 25  cents.  The  office  group  were 
second  with  24  cents  expenditure. 

"OTHER  EXPENSES." 

The  items  of  expenditure  included  in  "other  expenses"  are  made  up 
in  part  of  the  following: 

"Paying  for  piano;  piano-player;  house  and  lot;  a  lot;  lessons  in  elo- 
cution, music,  sewing,  painting,  violin ;  helping  a  sister  through  college ; 
night  school  tuition;  correspondence  school  lessons;  vocal  lessons;  tele- 
phone; taxes;  buying  sewing  machine;  buying  a  typewriter;  cemetery 
lot;  English  lessons;  'green  trunk;'  vacation  expenses,  etc.,  etc." 

The  general  average  weekly  expenditure  for  other  expenses  for  the 
"adrift"  woman  is  $1.67  as  compared  with  $1.48  for  the  home  woman. 

The  core  industry  shows  the  largest  weekly  expenditure — $5.21  for 
the  woman  at  home;  while  $5.06  is  the  average  weekly  amount  ex- 
pended by  the  women  tobacco  workers  "adrift."  The  tobacco  worker 
living  at  home  is  third  with  $3.09. 


102 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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106  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

YEARLY  EARNINGS  AND  OPPORTUNITIES  FOR  ADVANCEMENT. 

Table  No.  27  deals  with  the  yearly  earnings  and  the  opportunities  for 
advancement,  as  reported  by  8,358  women  wage-earners  employed  in  503 
establishments  visited  by  the  Commission's  investigators.  It  is  the  excep- 
tion rather  than  the  rule  to  find  a  woman  wage-earner  who  has  kept  accu- 
rate account  of  her  yearly  earnings.  If  she  is  a  piece-worker,  and  the 
supply  of  work  given  her  has  been  regular  and  normal,  she  can  give  a 
fair  estimate  of  her  average  weekly  earnings  for  the  year.  If,  however, 
as  was  found  to  be  the  case  in  many  of  the  manufacturing  establish- 
ments visited,  work  has  been  irregular,  with  earnings  varying  from 
week  to  week  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  work  given  her,  she  finds  it  a 
difficult  task  to  estimate  her  yearly  earnings.  She  finds  it  impossible 
to  remember  all  the  time  she  has  lost  during  the  year. 

Thus  only  6,566  of  those  interrogated  reported  on  the  amount  of  yearly 
earnings.  Those  who  worked  but  part  of  the  year  are  not  reported  in  this 
table,  and  too  much  dependence  should  not  be  placed  on  the  accuracy 
of  the  figures  of  those  who  did  report.  This  does  not  apply,  however, 
to  week  workers  and  the  more  steadily  employed.  They  can  give  a 
fairly  accurate  estimate  of  their  yearly  earnings. 

Grouping  all  the  occupations,  it  is  seen  that  2,483,  or  37.8  per  cent 
of  those  reporting  earned  under  $300  a  year,  and  93  per  cent  received 
under  $600,  leaving  7  per  cent  that  received  $600  or  over. 

The  question  of  opportunities  for  advancement  is  a  vital  one  to  the 
wage-earning  woman,  yet  3,644,  or  48  per  cent,  said  that  they  had  "no 
hope."  Only  287,  or  3.7  per  cent,  reported  that  there  was  an  opportu- 
nity for  advancement  for  them  in  both  wages  and  position;  2,971,  or 
39.9  per  cent,  considered  there  was  a  chance  for  them  to  earn  more 
wages.  Those  who  "didn't  know"  numbered  349,  or  4.6  per  cent  of  the 
total  number  interrogated. 

In  stores  the  hope  for  wage  increase  is  stimulated  where  the  com- 
pany has  a  commission  or  percentage  system  of  payment  because  of 
increase  of  sales.  Some  stores  pay  the  same  commission  on  all  sales. 
Others  pay  a  higher  commission  on  "slow"  sellers  than  on  the  "fast" 
ones.  Still  others  will  make  the  commission  percentage  on  the  dollar 
low,  where  the  sales  average  high,  and  high  where  the  average  amount 
involved  in  each  sale  is  low.  There  is  as  yet  no  recognized  standard 
method  of  paying  commissions.  Each  occupation  is  evolving  its  own 
method. 

OPINIONS  ON  "OPPORTUNITIES." 

The  following  are  samples  of  answers  to  the  question  whether  or  not 
there  was  an  opportunity  in  that  particular  establishment  for  advance- 
ment either  in  the  matter  of  position  or  wages: 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  107 

"Yes,  if  sales  increase."- 

"Very  little;  fl,  perhaps." 

"Never  get  au  advance  unless  you  ask  for  it." 

"Promised  raise,  but  can't  get  it." 

"Not  unless  I  quit  and  get  a  job  somewhere  else." 

"Yes;  if  I  am  allowed  to  clerk,"  was  a  cash  girl's  reply. 

"I»y  being  steady." 

"Yes,  advancement  in  both  wages  and  position  in  case  of  promotion, 
dismissal  or  resignation  of  those  above  me." 

"Reached  my  limit  here;  no  future  for  me  in  this  town." 

"I  could  work  faster." 

"Don't  know;  should  have  more;  can't  live  on  what  I  get,"  was  the 
answer  of  a  salesgirl  who  was  receiving  only  $4.50  per  week.  She  also 
assisted  in  the  buying  in  her  department. 

"Going  to  leave;  can't  live  on  this  wage,"  said  a  f3.50-a-week  sales- 
girl. 

Another  girl  said:     "Promised  raise  if  business  picks  up." 

Another:     "Have  to  fight  for  it." 

A  cigar  factory  employe:  "Yes,  as  soon  as  I  get  my  trade  learned; 
earning  $4.20  now." 

Remark  of  a  married  woman:  "Not  for  me;  they  won't  advance  a 
woman  who  lives  with  her  husband." 

"Yes,  when  I  get  on  piece  work." 

"Yes,  if  1  do  what  is  right." 

"Have  reached  my  earning  limit  right  now;  can't  speed  up  any  more." 


108 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  109 

SAVINGS. 

Table  No.  28  shows  the  number  and  percentage  of  the  8,358  women 
and  girls  interrogated  who  were  able  to  save  from  their  earnings.  A 
large  number  of  the  younger  women  had  joined  Christinas  Savings  Clubs ; 
a  still  larger  number  were  investing  through  some  Building  and  Loan 
Association;  others  gave  their  money  to  one  of  their  family  or  relatives 
with  the  understanding  that  they  were  to  save  it  for  them;  a  consider- 
able number  were  paying  on  lots.  Not  infrequently,  when  women  who 
were  married  were  interviewed  regarding  their  savings,  they  reported 
that  by  mutual  agreement  the  husbands  kept  up  the  living  expenses  and 
they  saved  their  earnings;  others  were  paying  for  their  homes.  One 
woman  said  that,  together,  she  and  her  husband  saved  |800  per  year. 
Her  husband  was  working  for  |15  a  week.  They  had  no  children,  and 
her  mother,  who  lived  with  them,  looked  after  the  housework  and  helped 
with  the  sewing.  One  telephone  operator — married — receiving  $4.64  a 
week,  said:  "Have  all  I  can  do  to  clothe  myself.  I  can't  save  a  cent." 

The  same  rule  Avas  followed  in  obtaining  data  covering  the  savings 
as  was  pursued  in  the  weekly  wage  interrogation.  Women  receiving 
the  higher  wages  were  interrogated  as  well  as  those  receiving  a  low  wage. 
This  raises  the  general  average  yearly  savings  considerably. 

It  is  significant  to  note,  however,  that  of  the  8,358  interrogated,  80 
per  cent  reported  that  they  could  not  save.  Three  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  of  those  reporting  savings  or  investments  did  not  report  on  the 
amount  saved.  When  the  husband  and  wife  had  a  "common  purse" 
the  amount  the  wife  saved  was  not  included. 

The  total  yearly  amount  saved  by  the  1,332  women  was  $100,066.39. 
This  is  an  average  of  $75.12.  If  each  of  the  8,358  workers  had  received 
a  weekly  wage  sufficient  to  have  permitted  them  to  save  but  $1  each 
week,  the  total  yearly  amount  would  have  reached  over  $434,000.  One 
girl  remarked  to  the  investigator:  "One  can't  save  anything  on  $8  a 
week;  I  can't  make  expenses  meet."  Another  said:  "I  can't  save; 
going  behind  all  the  time."  Others  passed  the  following  remarks  when 
questioned  on  the  amount  of  savings: 

"Can't  save  since  my  illness." 

"Don't  save.     I  am  paying  for  my  piano." 

"Trying  to  save  enough  for  a  vacation." 

"These  wages,  ($6.70)  are  only  possible  to  live  on,  and  more  should 
be  given  so  that  every  girl  can  live  respectably  and  independently." 

"I  use  my  savings  to  tide  me  over  the  'slack'  time." 

"Can't  see  why  they  expect  a  girl  to  do  as  much  work  as  a  man  does 
for  so  much  less  wages." 

Another  girl  who  receives  $7.85  a  week,  and  who  lives  at  home  and 
pays  $2.50  for  room  and  board,  said:  "If  I  am  real  economical,  I 
can  save  $100  per  year." 


110 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


8    8    S3    5    §    5      :    8 
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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  Ill 

WHAT    WA«;i->  EARNING    WOMEN    CONSIDER    A     NECESSARY    WAGE    IN    ORDER    TO 

LIVE    RESPECTABLY. 

Table  No.  29  summarizes  the  data  obtained  from  5,673 
women  and  girls  who  were  interrogated  as  to  the  amount 
they  considered  necessary  to  support  them  respectably  in  their 
respective  localities.  While  more  than  G7  per  cent  had  some 
definite  idea  of  the  weekly  amount  necessary;  26.9  per  cent  reported 
that  they  "did  not  know."  Many  of  these  latter  had  never  lived  away 
from  home,  and  so  had  never  given  the  question  serious  thought.  Others 
had  just  begun  to  work,  and  were  not  qualified  to  give  an  accurate  es- 
timate. A  large  number  took  their  pay  envelopes  home  without  opening 
them,  and  so  themselves  spent  nothing.  Only  80,  or  1.4  per  cent,  re- 
ported that  they  considered  a  girl  could  live  on  less  than  $6  per  week, 
while  1,823,  or  32.1  per  cent,  were  sure  that  from  |6  to  |9  was  sufficient; 
and  854,  or  15.1  per  cent,  thought  a  girl  should  receive  between  $9 
and  $10.  The  largest  proportion  of  those  reporting — 2,916,  or  51.4 
per  cent — named  $10  or  over  as  the  necessary  amount.  As  showing  the 
drift  of  opinion,  a  few  of  the  answers  are  appended: 

"To  live  as  I  think  a  girl  should,  she  ought  to  average  $10  a  week." 

"A  girl  can  live  on  $5,  if  she  doesn't  have  to  pay  dentists'  or  doc- 
tors' bills — and  goes  without  clothes." 

"Before  I  received  $10  a  week,  I  often  went  to  bed  hungry,  as  my 
grandmother,  75  years  old,  required  dainty  food." 

"I  could  not  get  along  on  the  $7  I  earn,  if  I  did  not  live  at  home." 

"I  just  make  enough  to  make  my  living  ($7.50)  and  it's  hard  enough 
to  do  that,  sometimes." 

"A  girl  can  live  on  less  than  $10  a  week,  if  she  has  a  friend  to  take  her 
to  places  of  amusement." 

"A  girl  must  have  $10  to  live  right  with  strangers." 

"Six  dollars  a  week  is  the  least  amount  on  which  a  woman  could 
live  if  she  did  her  own  sewing  and  laundry." 

"Don't  see  how  any  girl  can  live  on  less  than  $8." 

"Operation  for  appendicitis  cost  over  $300 — not  all  paid  for.  We 
are  building  a  new  church  and  this  year  I  am  going  to  give  $52.  In 
summer  time  it  takes  quite  a  bit  for  laundry.  Everything  costs  so 
nowadays.  I  don't  see  how  girls  live  who  get  $4  and  $5  a  week.  I 
fight  my  own  way.  I  know  how  it  goes.  I  have  my  recreation  at 
church.  Every  girl  who  boards  out  ought  to  get  $12.  Board  is  rising 
every  day.  A  girl  has  to  dress  and  has  to  have  some  pleasure,  whether 
she  spends  it  in  shows  or  church.  That's  why  so  many  girls  go  to  the 


112  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

bad.     They  get  so  discouraged  they  just  don't  care  where  they  go.     I 
think  this  is  the  wisest  thing  the  State  ever  did."     (Gets  |12  a  week.) 

"I  think  |12  is  the  least  a  girl  can  live  on  a  week."  When  her  at- 
tention was  called  to  the  fact  that  she  was  supporting  her  mother  and 
herself  on  that  amount,  she  said :  "I  don't  call  it  living.  Never  have 
anything  nor  go  anywhere." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


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114  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

VACATIONS. 

Table  No.  30  summarizes  the  data  secured  on  the  manner  in  which 
Michigan  women  wage-earners  spent  their  vacations.  Of  the  8,358  interro- 
gated, 5,007  reported  on  vacations ;  2,985,  or  35.7  per  cent,  reported  that 
they  "took  no  vacations.-'  A  large  proportion  of  those  taking  no  vaca- 
tions were  not  able  to  afford  one.  The  replies  ran  somewhat  in  this 
fashion : 

"I  don't  ever  take  a  vacation  unless  I  am  ill." 

"Never  had  any  vacation ;  can't  afford  one." 

"Haven't  had  a  vacation,  except  when  the  factory  closed  down." 

"I  couldn't  ever  take  a.  vacation ;  wages  are  so  small." 

"We  could  never  save  enough  to  take  a  vacation." 

Of  the  1,006,  or  20.1  per  cent,  reporting  being  paid  while  taking  their 
vacations,  815  were  working  in  stores  and  telephone  exchanges;  all  the 
other  occupations  total  but  101  paid  vacations.  The  average  length 
of  these  paid  vacations  was  seven  days.  Four  thousand  and  one, — 
79.9  per  cent — took  vacations  without  pay.  The  piece-worker  taking 
an  occasional  voluntary  vacation  can,  by  "speeding  up,"  make  up  the 
Tost  time  and  lost  wages,  many  report. 

One  thousand  one  hundred  and  seventeen  of  those  reporting,  spent 
their  vacations  visiting  relatives  or  friends;  539  took  a  trip;  one 
married  woman  said  she  and  her  husband  planned  their  vacations  so 
they  could  take  an  automobile  trip,  as  they  owned  a  machine.  She 
was  a  saleswoman. 

Another  said:  "I  usually  tak.e  a  trip;  can't  this  year;  have  to  spend 
vacation  money  for  medicine." 

Eight  of  those  \vho  took  vacations  had  gone  abroad.  One  young 
saleswoman  was  the  lucky  winner  in  a  voting  contest,  and  the  prize  was 
a  trip  abroad.  A  number  of  the  others  returned  to  the  old  country  to 
visit  relatives  or  friends.  Two  hundred  and  eighteen  said  they  usu- 
ally went  to  a  summer  resort,  to  a  cottage  at  the  lake,  or  "camped  out." 
Still  others  spent  their  vacation  by  taking  an  occasional  week-end  ex- 
cursion. Twenty-six  "went  to  the  country"  for  "a  good  rest  and  plenty 
of  fresh  air."  Fifty-eight  reported  that  they  had  no  regular  way  of 
spending  their  vacations.  Sometimes  they  remained  at  home.  At  other 
times,  they  split  their  vacations — half  the  time  taking  a  trip  and  the 
other  half  remaining  at  home,  looking  after  father  and  the  children 
and  sending  the  mother  away  for  a  rest.  By  far  the  largest  number — 
2,498,  or  49.9  per  cent — said  they  always  remained  at  home.  If  they 
happened  to  be  married,  they-usually  took  this  time  to  clean  house  and 
to  do  sewing. 

In  some  of  the  stores,  after  the  woman  has  been  employed  a  year,  she 
is  given  a  week's  vacation  with  pay.  If  she  remains  two  or  more  years, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  1  i.f, 

she  receives  two  weeks'  vacation,  with  pay.  Still  another  store,  in- 
stead of  giving  a  week  wilh  pay,  allows  its  employes  one-half  day  each 
week  during  specified  summer  months.  In  another  store,  the  girls  are 
asked  to  take  vacations  without  pay  during  the  dull  season.  Generally 
speaking,  however,  the  time  lost  in  stores  from  layoffs  or  enforced 
idleness,  is  much  less  than  with  factory  employes.  Some  of  the  store 
workers  found  other  employment  during  the  dull  period. 


116 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  117 

TOILETS    AND    WELFARE    WORK. 

Table  No.  ol  shows  the  condition  of  the  toilets  in  503  establishments 
visited;  the  number  of  women  reporting  a  social  secretary;  number 
reporting  a  woman  in  charge  of  their  department;  number  having  the 
privileges  of  lunch,  rest  and  emergency  rooms  and  the  number  report- 
ing that  their  work  was  injurious  to  their  health. 

Twelve  and  two-tenths  per  cent  of  the  women  worked  where  the 
toilet  was  bad ;  41.9  per  cent  could  not  say  the  toilet  was  good ;  58.1  per 
cent  said  it  was  good.  But  many  of  these  were  either  afraid  to  tell  the 
truth,  or  else  were  lamentably  ignorant  as  to  what  constitutes  a  decent 
toilet.  If  their  standard  were  that  "toilets"  should  be  as  sanitary  as 
"kitchens" — such  a  large  per  cent  could  not  have  said  that  the  toilet 
where  they  worked  was  good.  Certainly  education  along  these  lines 
is  most  imperative.  Consumers  who  must  eat,  or  smoke,  or 
wear  many  things  produced  in  these  establishments  may  well  study 
this  table.  In  such  places  as  laundries,  clothes  are  washed ;  in  cores  and 
seeds  the  public  is  not  so  interested  hygienically ;  but  all  are  personally 
concerned  about  the  women  who  work  in  these  factories. 

Here  are  some  of  the  sayings  of  the  girls  in  regard  to  the  toilets 
where  they  work: 

"Clean  towel  about  twice  a  week." 

"When  we  leave  for  the  toilet  we  have  to  get  permission  from  a  man 
floorwalker." 

"Toilet  is  dirty." 

"Just  boards  with  holes;  emptying  down  into  the  river;  boys  can  look 
up  from  down  stairs." 

"Toilet  isn't  very  good." 

"No  toilet  paper  whatever;  no  towels." 

"Haven't  been  to  the  toilet;  don't  like  to  go.  The  man  who  cuts  is 
always  standing  near." 

"I  don't  think  much  of  the  toilets;  at  times  they  are  not  fit  to  go 
into." 

"Toilet  is  a  perfect  fright  sometimes.  I  don't  go  in  any  more  than 
I  have  to." 

Seven  hundred  and  forty  girls  reported  a  social  or  educational  sec- 
retary or  a  nurse ;  7,618  reported  none.  The  former  represented  two  over- 
all factories;  two  department  stores,  and  one  telephone  exchange.  All 
are  located  in  the  city  of  Detroit. 

One  department  store  official  told  the  investigator  that  his  firm 
had  added  in  one  year  2,000  charge  accounts,  due  to  increased  ef- 
ficiency, attributable  to  a  large  extent,  to  the  educational  training  among 
the  sales  force.  The  telephone  exchange  is  depending  more  and  more 
upon  the  nurse,  not  only  to  care  temporarily  for  the  health  of  the  op- 


118  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

erators;  but  to  act  as  advisor  to  both  girls  and  managers  in  matters 
that  pertain  to  sanitation  and  hygiene. 

The  firms  find  that  it  pays  to  keep  the  worker  healthy,  thereby  in- 
creasing efficiency.  More  and  more  scientific  management  will  incor- 
porate in  its  welfare  work  this  plan  of  having  a  woman  employed  in 
the  capacity  of  secretary  or  nurse  or  friendly  adviser — a  woman  who 
is  studying  the  problem  and  meeting  the  need  as  best  she  can — a  woman 
who  understands  the  girls,  and  who  can  co-operate  with  the  managers 
and  employers,  whose  minds  are  necessarily  absorbed  in  the  details  of 
business.  Her  chief  duty  is  to  call  the  attention  of  her  employers  to  the 
human  needs  of  the  women  workers. 

When  both  employers  and  consumers  visualize  "Central"  and  "Cash 
Girl,"  industry  will  become  humanized. 

HEALTH. 

From  the  testimony  of  the  girls  it  would  appear  that  some  industries 
are  much  more  injurious  to  health  than  others.  The  candy  and  core- 
workers  report  the  least;  the  seed,  tobacco  and  cigar  come  next.  While  in 
the  hosiery  and  knit  goods  industry  10  per  cent  report  injuries.  The  tele- 
phone operators  in  every  locality  head  the  list — 28  per  cent  reporting  in- 
juries. The  hosiery  and  knit  goods  are  made  in  piece-work  factories  for 
the  most  part.  Many  girls  are  taken  in  very  young.  The  lint  is  bad 
for  them;  also  the  strain  and  the  monotony  of  piece-work.  The  un- 
certainty caused  by  "slack"  times  is  also  an  anxiety  which  depletes 
strength.  "I  have  seen  weeks  when  I  made  only  f  5.  Then  I  would  be 
discouraged,"  said  one  girl  laconically  who  represented  the  general 
opinion.  "We  ought  to  have  a  standard  law  that  they  pay  girls  so 
much."  The  eyes  of  girls  in  knitting  factories  suffer  a  strain,  especially 
the  eyes  of  the  loopers.  Black  and  even  gray  material  are  much  more 
trying  to  work  with  than  white. 

The  arbitrary  cutting  of  the  piece-work  scale  of  wages  forces  girls 
to  work  harder  to  maintain  the  original  wage  and  tempts  the  workers 
to  break  the  54-hour  law  by  working  overtime  when  work  is  "good," 
thereby  causing  overwork  and  exhaustion.  These  are  a  few  of  the 
complaints  peculiar  to  the  knit  goods  industry: 

"Hard  on  eyes;  hard  on  back;  hard  on  me  all  over.  Arm  has  to  be 
treated  with  electricity ;  it  moves  so  much  in  the  work." 

"Sometimes  I  feel  kind  of  sore  on  my  chest,  but  I  do  not  know  as  it  is 
from  the  lint  or  not.  Lint  down  your  throat  is  just  horrid." 

"The  work  is  terribly  hard  on  the  eyes.  I  guess  almost  every  one  in 
this  work  has  to  wear  glasses." 

"I  am  getting  poor  since  I  came  to  the  factory  to  work.  With  the 
low  chairs  my  legs  and  back  ache." 

"Arms  ache." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  1 1<) 

TELEPHONE    WORK. 

Authorities  agree  that  telephone  operation  is  a  nervous  occupation. 
They  also  agree  that  girls  between  the  ages  of  17  and  23  should  not  be 
subject  to  too  nervous  a  strain  during  these  formative  years.  Yet 
during  those  years  they  make  the  quickest  and  most  valuable  opera- 
ators.  The  following  is  a  quotation  from  the  "Eeport  of  the  Royal 
Commission  on  a  Dispute  Respecting  Hours  of  Employment  between 
the  Bell  Telephone  Company  of  Canada,  Ltd.,  and  Operators  at 
Toronto,  Ontario,"  in  1907,  which  report  can  be  obtained  by  sending 
to  the  Canadian  Government  Printing  Bureau  at  Ottawa,  Canada: 

"We  believe  that  17  is  too  young  an  age  for  a  girl  to 
enter  upon  the  duties  of  telephone  operation,  and  would 
recommend  that  young  women  should  be  prohibited  from 
entering  this  class  of  employment  until  they  have  com- 
pleted their  eighteenth  year.  We  would  also  recommend  that 
before  being  accepted  by  the  company,  operators  should  be 
required  to  pass  an  examination  as  to  their  health,  es- 
pecially as  to  their  nervous  system,  throat,  lungs,  sight, 
1)  faring  and  tendency  toward  tuberculosis.  These  recom- 
mendations are  strongly  supported  by  medical  testimony." 

Quotations  from  Michigan  girls: 

"Had  two  shocks  while  at  the  board  during  thunder  storms." 

"Tumor  on  wrist,  came  from  work." 

"Hard  on  nerves." 

"Bronchial  tubes  are  paralyzed  from  work." 

"Throat  gets  dry." 

"Just  get  tired  and  nervous  sitting  so  long." 

"Strain  my  eyes  watching  all  the  time  for  lights." 

WORK  AND   HEALTH. 

* 

Here  are  a  few  miscellaneous  quotations  on  injuries: 

"Irritable  customers  make  you  terribly  nervous,  you  know." 

"Ventilation  poor,  and  lights  trying.     I  have  headaches." 

"Standing  on  feet.     Strain  of  bustle  and  noise." 

"Dust  hurts  the  lungs." 

"Knuckles  are  swollen  and  hurt  terribly.  Get  awfully  tired.  I'm 
old,  you  know." 

"When  I  'speed  up'  enough  to  make  a  living  wage  it  hurts  my  back. 
I  like  housework  best,  but  Aunt  said  the  other  girls  would  look  down  on 
me.  so  I  am  trying  factory  work."  Said  by  a  bright  girl  of  19  years  of 
age  who  has  been  through  the  second  year  in  high  school. 


120  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

"Machine  work  is  a  strain  on  my  arms." 
"Constant  stooping  over  the  machine  affects  my  back." 
"Work  so  slack.     I  am  in  debt  for  doctor's  services.     Makes  me  ner- 
vous.   When  I  have  steady  work  it  doesn't  cost  me  so  much  for  wood, 
since  I  am  away  all  day.     Case  of  less  I  earn  the  more  it  costs  me 
for  fuel." 

"No  drinking  water  except  what  is  brought  in  in  a  tin  pail." 

SOME  HAVE  REST  ROOMS. 

Two  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty-two  women  reported  that  they 
had  rest  room  accommodations;  4,034,  or  48.2  per  cent,  said  a  lunch 
room  was  provided  for  their  use.  In  some  cases,  these  lunch  rooms  were 
poorly  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  were  located  in  damp  and  insanitary 
basements,  and  no  attempt  made  to  make  the  room  cheerful  and  at- 
tractive to  the  woman  worker  who  lives  such  a  distance  from  her  work 
that  she  finds  it  necessary  to  bring  her  lunch.  At  times,  the  girls  took 
their  lunch  to  the  nearest  park ;  some  went  to  a  drug  or  candy  store  where 
they  could  have  something  warm  to  drink;  a  few  said  that  they  went  to 
stores  where  rest  rooms  were  provided  for  the  use  of  customers  and  re- 
mained there  during  the  lunch  hour. 

Other  firms  had  beautiful  rest  rooms  and  adequate  lunch  facilities; 
some  had  the  serveself  system  and  the  girls  were  served  with  good  sub- 
stantial lunches  at  a  very  nominal  cost.  Some  of  the  companies,  not 
having  the  facilities  for  serving  lunches,-  provided,  free  of  cost,  hot  coffee 
to  their  employes  at  the  noon  hour.  Others  had  the  kitchen  equipment 
and  the  girls  brought  their  own  supplies  and  prepared  their  lunches. 

One  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-two  reported  emergency  rooms 
to  be  used  in  case  of  sudden  illness  or  of  an  accident.  These  rooms  were 
equipped  with  "first  aid  to  the  injured"  supplies  and  one  of  the  workers, 
usually  the  forewoman,  where  one  was  employed,  was  placed  in  charge. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


121 


M 

G 

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S    S      :    £    E    M    S    3    g         g 

t^.                        rt      co               1-1      ?o 

e<i 

O 

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1 
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Number 
reporting. 

c^ioo              co      >o      3;      t*-      co      <M              —  <      co      t-      oa 
coco              t>.      co      o      <M      oo      •»*               co      co      «-i      *-H 
•*              t~      N      1-1      1-1      »o                       o      <ri      r-i      co 

i 

1 

Number 
reporting. 

t^e^t~OOO«O<35CCCO                    t--<M                    **i 
.-1        t^.                     Oi        t^        »-l         <M         »O        •'f                      •**         Tf                     CO 
T-I         .-c                                  O         Tf                     <M 

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Number 
reporting. 

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partment. 

Number 
reporting. 

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I 

122  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

WAGES  BY  OCCUPATION  AND  LOCATION. 

Tables  No.  32  and  33  deal  with  wages  as  to  occupations  and  locations 
as  shown  by  the  interrogating  of  8,512  women  wage-earners,  8,424  of 
whom  furnished  information.  Wages  are  divided  into  seven  classifi- 
cations, starting  with  those  who  receive  under  five  dollars  a  week,  and 
ending  with  those  who  receive  ten  dollars  and  over.  With  these  tables 
before  one,  it  is  possible  to  ascertain  the  wage  in  any  one  and  all  of  the 
localities  visited  by  the  Commission's  investigators,  both  as  to  the 
average  for  the  location  and  for  the  occupation. 

In  computing  the  percentage,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  24.2  per 
cent  receive  less  than  |6  a  week,  and  that  56.4  per  cent  receive  less  than 
$8  per  week.  Also  that  20.7  per  cent  only  receive  $10  or  over  per  week. 
In  fact  79.3  per  cent  receive  less  than  51.4  per  cent  of  the  women  wage- 
earners  interrogated  state  is  necessary  in  order  to  live  respectably  and 
decently. 

These  figures  are  also  explanatory  of  the  fact  shown  elsewhere,  why 
so  large  a  proportion  of  these  women  wage-earners  must  of  necessity  be 
supplied  with  funds  from  other  than  their  pay  envelopes  in  order  to  live. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


123 


TaMc  Xo.  32.— WAGES  BY  OCCUPATIONS  OF  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN 

K.Mi'LovKD  i.\  :io  LOCALITIES  AND  535  ESTABLISHMENTS,  AS  REPORTED  BY 

THEMSELVES. 


Location  ami  industry. 

* 

1 

.2 

1 
S5 

i 

Wages  of  those  receiving— 

Under 

•$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

ENTIRE  STATE  

535 

8,512 

8,424 

990 

1,058 

1,424 

1,279 

1,134 

797 

1,742 

Adrian     

8 

36 

36 

6 

3 

13 

7 

1 

3 

3 

Laundry  
Offices 

1 

2 
4 

1 

4 

2 
19 
11 

33 

4 
2 
19 
11 

1 

1 

2 
1 
3 

1 

"'i' 

1 
2 

"-3 

Stores  
Telephone  exchange  

5 
1 

16 

1 
1 

4 

8 

Alpena 

9 

33 

7 

5 

2 

3 

Laundry  
Offices 

1 

2 
4 
1 
1 

6 
2 
14 
3 

8 

6 
2 
14 
3 
8 

5 

1 
1 
4 

"'i' 

1 

"j" 

1 

Stores  
Telephone  exchange  

n 
J 

3 

1 

Woolen  mill  

1 

4 

Ann  Arbor 

2 

54 

54 

5 

20 

21 

4 

1 

Stores 

! 

8 
46 

216 

, 

46 

2 

4 
16 

2 
19 

44 

Telephone  exchange  

3 

4 

1 

Battle  Creek  

26 

212 

15 

21 

48 

18 

27 

39 

Candy... 

1 
1 
3 

8 
1 
12 

17 
10 
52 
16 
25 
96 

17 
9 
50 
16 
25 
95 

1 

3 
1 
10 

3 
1 
11 
2 
9 
18 

5 
2 

8 
4 
9 
20 

-       29 

3 

"'5' 
1 
4 
5 

1 

'"s 

4 
1 
13 

1 
5 
6 
5 
2 
20 

Cores. 

Laundries 

2 

Offices     . 

Paper  boxes  

'"is 

••y 

Stores 

Bay  City 

20 

321 

320 

114 

62 

52 

23 

12 

28 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  
Laundries 

1 

2 
6 
8 
3 

5 

104 
41 
24 
111 

41 

25 

104 
41 
24 
110 

41 

25 

32 
15 
3 
40 
24 

13 
14 
9 
15 
11 

18 
10 
5 
13 
6 

13 
2 
1 
13 

15 

8 

5 

Offices  

1 

7 

1 
3 

4 
19 

Stores 

Telephone  exchanges  
Cheboygan  

5 

9 

6 

1 

2 

2 

Laundry  .    . 

1 
3 
1 

9 
12 
4 

9 
12 
4 

7 
3               1 
2               1 

2 
4 

Stores  

1 

1 

1 

2 

Telephone  exchange 

124 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  32. — WAGES  BY  OCCUPATIONS  OF  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN 
EMPLOYED  IN  30  LOCALITIES  AND  535  ESTABLISHMENTS,  AS  REPORTED  BY 
THEMSELVES.— Continued. 


Location  and  industry. 

1 

1 

* 

1 

"3 

1 

fc 

Number  reporting. 

Wages  of  those  receiving  — 

Under 

$5.  • 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Detroit 

135 

4,181 

4,135 

296 

373 

637 

685 

649 

434 

1,061 

Candy  
Cigars  
Cores  

Corsets 

11 

22 
6 
1 
2 

19 
17 
5 
8 
3 

14 
10 
5 
12 

181 
666 
63 

620 

25 

256 
•       157 
627 
175 

212 

593 
101 
162 
343 

181 
656 
63 
617 
25 

256 
156 
624 
169 
212 

584 
101 
162 
329 

19 
125 
2 
14 

3 

"'34' 
22 

47 
30 
6 

48 

20 
8 
23 
33 
53 

50 

47 
57 
2 
138 
5 

51 
.      12 
43 
25 

84 

87 
1 
29 
56 

17 
71 
5 

184 
7 

66 
22 

75 
37 
54 

82 
2 
28 
35 

31 
74 
8 
129 

4 

50 
21 
98 
30 
10 

99 
29 
27 
39 

12 
79 
15 
69 
6 

28 
16 
85 
9 

7 

50 
17 
11 
30 

8 
220 
25 
35 
3 

38 
77 
266 
13 
4 

183 
52 
36 
101 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  
Laundries 

Offices  
Overalls 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  
Seeds 

Stores  
Telephone  exchanges  
Tobacco  
Women's  garments 

33 

3 

41 

28 
27 

Flint  

23 

181 

178 

29 

19 

36 

17 

18 

10 

49 

Cigars 

2 
3 
8 
8 
1 
1 

22 
25 
13 
98 
16 
7 

21 
24 
13 
98 
16 
6 

1 

"Y 

3 
14 
3 
14 
2 

2 
6 
1 

7 
1 

2 
2 
3 
11 

1 
...„ 

1 
1 

12 
1 
6 
24 
1 
5 

Laundries  
Offices 

Stores  
Telephone  exchange  
Women's  garments  

21 

.      7 

14 
4 

Grand  Rapids  

53 

1,120 

1,120 

127 

158 

200 

179 

184 

112 

160 

Candy  

2 
3 
2 
3 
4 
14 

3 
4 
2- 
14 
1 

33 
95 
26 
92 
106 
49 

33 
100 
36 
446 
36 
68 

33 
95 
26 
92 
106 
49 

33 
100 
36 
446 
36 
68 

9 
5 

4 
6 

4 
9 
6 
74 
..„. 

4 
11 
8 
6 
17 
3 

2 
25 

4 
68 
2 
8 

6 
10 
1 
16 
25 
7 

7 
25 
4 
77 
15 
7 

3 
11 
6 
24 
19 
6 

5 
25 
3 
63 
3 
11 

6 
12 
8 
20 
27 
11 

3 
9 
6 
57 
11 
14 

2 
13 
2 
19 
9 
4 

7 
6 
3 
35 
3 
9 

3 
33 
1 
6 
5 
12 

5 

1 
10 
72 
2 
10 

Cigars  
Cores 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  
Laundries   ... 

Offices  

Overalls 

Paper  and  cigar  boxes  .  .  . 
Shoes  
Stores 

Telephone  exchange  
Women's  garments  

Ionia 

9 

27 

24 

1 

7 

5 

5 

2 

4 

Laundries  
Offices 

2 
2 
5 

8 
2 
17 

5 
2 

17 

1 

4 
..... 

"T 

1 
4 

Stores 

1 

6 

4 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


125 


TnMc  No.  .>'.?.— WAGES  BY  OCCUPATIONS  OF  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN 
EMPLOYED  IN  30  LOCALITIES  AND  535  ESTABLISHMENTS,  AS  REPORTED  BY 
THEMSELVES.— Continued. 


Location  and  industry. 

1 
£ 

£ 

bO 

.2 
fe 

Wages  of  those  receiving  — 

Under 
15. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
und£r 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
her.. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Jackson 

31 

503 

500 

29 

57 

74 

84 

75 

70 

111 

Candy 

1 
5 
4 
8 
S 
2 
3 

5 
145 
30 
40 
143 
55 
85 

4 
144 
30 
40 
143 
54 
85 

1 
17 
9 

7 
18 
9 
13 

1 
29 
9 
4 
21 
"7 
13 

36 

2 
32 
6 
5 
19 
1 
10 

'"io" 

3 
4 
20 

'"37 
3 
16 
36 
3 
16 

Corsets  . 

3 

7 

Laundries  

Offices  . 

••y 

17 

2 

4 
22 
17 

7 

Stores  

Telephone  exchanges  
Women's  garments  

24 

Kalamazoo  

21 

231 

223 

5 

27 

52 

15 

30 

58 

Corsets 

1 
3 
7 
1 
8 
1 

38 
37 
32 
23 
90 
11 

335 

37 
32 
32 
21 
90 
11 

330 

3 
3 
4 
1 
16 

3 
12 
3 

7 
27 

4 
9 
3 
5 
15 

4 

2 
5 

"'a' 

2 
39 

11 
3 
4 
4 

8 

30 

12 
3 
13 
2 

19 
9 

84 

Laundries  

Offices     . 

"'2 
3 

Paper  boxes  
Stores..    . 

Women's  garments  
Lansing 

45 

36 

47 

48 

48 

Cigars 

1 
1 
4 
1 
17 
18 
2 
1 

15 

13 
52 
5 
31 
177 
27 
15 

15 
13 
50 
5 
31 
175 
27 
14 

"T 

3 

2 

'"2 
13 
2 

20 
7 
3 

1 

4 
12 
2 
2 
17 
4 
4 

'    5 
5 

3 

"'l 

1 
6 
15 
1 
3 

8 
1 

8 

'"14 

48 
3 

2 

Knit  goods  
Laundries  

8 

Metal  specialties  

Offices  
Stores  
Telephone  exchanges  
Women's  garments  

"'36' 

2 

3 
25 
9 

5 

20 
1 
2 

6 

Ludington 

8 

30 

29 

13 

8 

2 



Laundries  

2 
1 
3 
2 

8 
1 
9 
12 

7 
1 
9 
!2 

1 

4 

2 

Offices  

1 
4 

Stores  

3 
9 

2 
2 

Telephone  exchanges  

Manistee  

9 

39 

39 

20 

8 

5 

2 

3 

1 

Laundries  
Offices  
Stores  

2 
2 

4 

10 
2 
21 
6 

10 

2 
21 
6 

7 
2 
8 
3 

3 

'"3 

2 

"'4' 

'"2 

3 

1 

Telephone  exchange  

120 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  32.— WAGES  BY  OCCUPATIONS  OF  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN 
EMPLOYED    IN    30    LOCALITIES    AND    535    ESTABLISHMENTS,    AS    REPORTED    P,Y 

THEMSELVES.— Continued. 


Location  and  industry. 

Number  establishments. 

1 
55 

Number  reporting. 

Wages  of  those  receiving— 

Under 
J5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$5  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Muskegon  

16 

181 

181 

45 

37 

26 

25 

18 

11 

19 

Candy 

1 

2 
2 
2 
1 

8 

14 

67 
20 
2 
8 
70 

14 

67 
20 
2 
8 
70 

6 
12 
5 

5 
11 
1 
1 
1 
7 

3 
13 
2 

••y 

'"9 

2 
1 
1 
5 

••y 
1 

"T 

2 

'"4 
1 

'"i4 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  
Laundries  
Offices 

11 

8 

Paper  boxes  

Stores 

26' 

5 
9 

Pontiac  

12 

34 

84 

14 

18 

27 

11 

5 

3 

6 

Cigars 

2 
3 
5 
1 

5 
10 
3 
30 
36 

5 

10 
3 
30 
36 

1 

3 
4 

1 

.... 

1 

4 

Laundries  
Offices  
Stores  

2 

3 

"'2' 
2 
1 

"'2' 
11 

8 
8 

6 
14 

6 
2 

2 

Telephone  exchange  

Port  Huron 

16 

225 

223 

44 

58 

45 

27 

18 

13 

18 

Fibre  works  

1 
1 
3 
1 
1 
8 
1 

6 
74 
26 
2 
25 
64 
28 

6 
73 
25 
2 
25 
64 
28 

6 
6 

Knit  goods 

29 

8 

17 
11 
1 
5 
6 
5 

58 

13 
3 

6 
1 

2 
1 
1 
6 
3 

Laundries  
Offices  
Overalls  
Stores  
Telephone  exchange  

1 

'"4 
13 

""•' 

11 
15 

1 
9 
1 

3 
7 
1 

15 
6 

Saginaw  

25 

323 

318 

89 

63 

34 

19 

13 

42 

Candy  
Cigars  
Corsets  
Knit  goods  
Laundries  

Offices  
Paper  and  cigar  boxes  
Stores  
Telephone  exchanges  
Women's  garments  

1 
1 
1 
1 
2 

4 
2 
7 
3 
3 

28 
4 
32 
16 
32 

12 
14 

75 
26 
84 

28 
4 
32 
14 
32 

12 
14 
75 
26 
81 

18 
1 
3 
1 

2 

"'e' 

32 
4 
22 

5 
••y 
1 
11 

1 
2 
12 
12 
12 

7 

3 

2 

'"3 
4 

6 
..... 

6 
3 
13 

3 

2 
12 

8 
8 

9 

6 
6 
6 

2 
4 
1 
1 
6 

3 
3 

3 

...„ 

1 

8 

"Y 

7 

18 

St.  Joseph  

8 

78 

74 

23 

' 

8 

5 

21 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  

1 

1 
2 
1 
2 
1 

46 
3 
2 
15 
7 
5 

43 
3 
2 
15 
7 
4 

8 

2 

3 
3 
1 

1 

7 

4 

18 

Offices  
Paper  boxes  
Stores 

"'is' 

1 

1 
4 

2 

1 

3 

P 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


127 


Table  No.  32.— WAGES  BY  OCCUPATIONS  OF  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN 
KMI'LOYED  IN  30  LOCALITIES  AND  535  ESTABLISHMENTS,  AS  REPORTED  BY 
THEMSELVES.— Concluded. 


Location  and  industry. 

Number  establishments. 

Number  interrogated. 

Number  reporting. 

Wages  of  those  receiving— 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$Cand 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Traverse  City  

9 

67 

65 

18 

17 

11 

5 

3 

2 

9 

Candy  

1 

4 
2 

32 

18 
7 
2 
27 
13 

18 
6 
2 
26 
13 

3 
3 

7 
2 

6 
1 

1 
2 

2 

Offices  
Stores 

1 
2 

a 

"Y 

'"6 

6 
6 

2 
6 

Telephone  exchanges  
Upper  Peninsula  

154 

154 

34 

26 

24 

18 

16 

11 

25 

Candv 

6 
1 
17 
6 
1 

4 
26 
7 
87 
24 
6 

4 

26 
7 
87 
24 
6 

2 
4 
1 

20 

7 

1 

9 
3 
3 
2 

...... 

2 
11 
2 

i 

Laundries  
Shoes 

4 

6 
1 
11 
3 
3 

2 

Stores  
Telephone  exchange*) 

12 
9 
1 

8 
1 
1 

22 

Woolen  mill  

1 

Ypsilanti  

13 

68 

67 

7 

12 

22 

14 

5 

4 

3 

Knit  goods  
Laundry 

1 
1 

2 

7 
1 

1 

25 
4 
2 
21 
8 
8 

24 
4 
2 
21 

8 
8 

3 
1 

4 

9 
2 

6 
1 
1 
5 
..... 

1 

1 

Offices  
Stores 

"'4' 

"'3 

1 

1 

"'a' 

i 

3 
1 

4 

5 
5 
1 

Telephone  exchange  
Women's  garments  

1 

128 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  33.— WAGES  BY  SEVEN  CLASSIFICATIONS  OP  8,424  MICHIGAN  WAGE- 
EARNING  WOMEN  EMPLOYED  IN  30  LOCALITIES  AND  IN  535  ESTABLISHMENTS, 
AS  REPORTED  BY  THEMSELVES. 


Location 

is 
1 
& 

Number  interrogated. 

1 

Wages  of  those  receiving  — 

Under 

$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  and 
over. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Num- 
ber. 

Adrian  
Alpena  
Ann  Arbor  

8 
9 
2 
26 
20 

36 
33 
54 
216 
321 

36 
33 
54 
212 
320 

6 
16 
5 
15 
114 

3 

7 
20 
21 
62 

13 
5 
21 
44 
52 

7 
2 
3 
48 
29 

1 
3 
4 

18 
23 

3 

3 

1 
39 

28 

Battle  Creek 

27 
12 

Bay  City  

Cheboygan  

5 

25 

25 

5 

9 

6 

1 

2 

2 

Detroit  
Flint 

135 
23 
53 
9 
31 

4,181 
181 
1,120 
27 
503 

4,135 
178 
1,120 
24 
500 

296 
29 
127 

29 

373 
19 
158 
1 
57 

637 
36 
200 
7 
74 

685 
17 
179 
5 
84 

649 
18 
184 
5 

75 

434 
10 
112 
2 
70 

1,061 
49 
160 
4 
111 

Grand  Rapids 

Ionia     .  .           •            .   . 

Jackson  

Kalamazoo  

21 
45 
8 
9 
16 

231 
335 
30 
39 
181 

223 
330 
29 
39 
181 

5 
36 
13 

20 
45 

27 
47 
8 
8 
37 

-:  52 

48 
2 
5 
26 

36 
46 

2 
25 

15 
39 
6 

30 
30 

58 
84 

Ludington 

Manistee  
Muskegon  

3 
11 

1 
19 

18 

Pontiac  

12 

84 

84 

14 

18 

27 

11 

5 

3 

6 

Port  Huron  

16 

225 

223 

44 

58 

45 

27 

18 

13 

18 

Saginaw  

25 

323 

318 

89 

63 

58 

34 

19 

13 

42 

St.  Joseph  

8 

78 

74 

23 

7 

9 

1 

8 

5 

21 

Traverse  City.  .  .  /  

9 

67            65 

18 

17 

11 

5 

3 

2 

9 

Upper  Peninsula*  

32 

154 

154 

34 

26 

24 

18 

16 

11 

25 

Ypsilanti  

13 

68 

67 

7 

12 

22 

I 

14 

5 

4 

3 

Total  

535 

8,512 

8,424 

990 

1,058 

1,424 

1,279 

1,134 

797 

1,742 

"Eight  localities. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
WAGES  BY  PERCENTAGES. 


129 


Receiving  under  $5  per  week 

Receiving  $5  and  under  $6  per  week. . 

Receiving  under  $6  per  week 

Receiving  $6  and  under  $7  per  week . . 
Receiving  $7  and  under  $8  per  week. . 

Receiving  under  $8  per  week 

Receiving  $8  and  under  $9  per  week . . 
Receiving  $9  and  under  $10  per  week. 

Receiving  under  $10  per  week 

Receiving  $10  and  over  per  week 


Per  cent. 


11.7 
12.5 
24.2 
17.0 
15.1 
56.4 
13.4 
9.5 
79.3 
20.7 


Tables  A.  to  G.— COMPARISON   BY  PERCENTAGES  BETWEEN  DIFFERENT  CITIES  OF 
THE  PAY  OF  INTERROGATED  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  IN  THE  SAME  OCCUPATIONS. 

Table  A.— CANDY. 


Location. 

Under  ' 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

Battle  Creek  . 

5  9 

17  6 

17  6 

29  4 

17  6 

5  9 

5  9 

Detroit 

10  5 

25  9 

25  9 

9  4 

17  2 

6  6 

4  4 

Grand  Rapids 

27  3 

12  1 

18  2 

9  1 

18  2 

6  0 

9  1 

Jackson  

25  0 

25  0 

50  0 

Muskegon 

42  8 

35  7 

21  4 

Sagiuaw 

64  2 

17  8 

10  7 

7  2 

Traverse  City 

16  7 

38  9 

33  3 

11  1 

17 


130 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 
Table  B.— CORSETS. 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

Detroit  

2.3 

7.8 

22.3 

29.8 

20.9 

11.2 

5.7 

Jackson 

2  1 

4  9 

11  8 

20  1 

22  2 

13  2 

25  7 

Kalaiuazoo 

8  1 

8  1 

10  8 

10  8 

29  7 

32  4 

Saginaw  .                              

9.4 

21.9 

18.7 

18.7 

9.4 

9  4 

12  5 

Table  C.— HOSIERY  AND  KNIT  GOODS. 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 

$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

Bay  City                                                

30.8 

12  5 

17  3 

12  5 

14  4 

7  7 

4.8 

Detroit                                

16  4 

17  9 

16.4 

19.4 

13.4 

10.5 

6.0 

1  i 

6  5 

17  4 

26  1 

21  7 

20  6 

6  5 

7  7 

15  4 

30  8 

38  4 

7.7 

16  4 

17  9 

16  4 

19  4 

13  4 

10  5 

6.0 

Port  Huron                                      

8  2 

39  7 

23  3 

17.8 

8.2 

2.7 

Saginaw                        

7.2 

7  2 

21.4 

42.8 

21.4 

St  Joseph 

18  6 

4  6 

7  o 

2  3 

16  3 

9  3 

41.9 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
Table  D.— LAUNDRIES. 


131 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  ami 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

83  3 

16  7 

Battle  Creek  
Bay  City 

4.0 
36  6 

20.0 
34  1 

22.0 
24.4 

16.0 
4.9 

10.0 

16.0 

12.0 

Detroit 

1  2 

7  8 

20.0 

25.8 

19.5 

10.9 

14.8 

3  8 

16  0 

23.6 

17.9 

25.4 

8.5 

4.7 

30.0 

30.0 

20.0 

10.0 

10.0 

9  4 

37.5 

28.1 

6.2 

9.4 

9.4 

6  0 

16  0 

26  0 

24.0 

10.0 

2.0 

16  0 

14  3 

57  1 

28  6 

70  0 

30  Q 

40  0 

25  0 

5  0 

10  0 

10.0 

5  0 

5  0 

Pontiac 

20  0 

40  0 

30  0 

10  0 

32  0 

44  0 

12  0 

4  0 

4  0 

4  0 

6  2 

34  3 

40  6 

19  0 

St  Joseph 

100  0 

Traverse  City 

50  0 

33  3 

'    16  7 

Upper  Peninsula 

15  4 

15  4 

23  0 

34  6 

3  9 

7  7 

25  0 

50  0 

25  0 

Table  E.— PAPER  AND  CIGAR  BOXES. 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$€. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

Bat  tie  Creek. 

36  0 

36  0 

16  0 

4  0 

8  0 

Detroit  

13  0 

19  5 

14  8 

21  9 

17  7 

5  3 

7  7 

Grand  Rapids  ... 

9  0 

25  0 

25  0 

25  0 

9  0 

6  0 

1  0 

Kalamazoo  

9  5 

4  8 

33  3 

23  8 

19  0 

9  5 

Muskegon  

62  5 

12  5 

12  5 

12  5 

Sagiuaw  

42  8 

14  3 

14  3 

28  6 

St.  Joseph  

100  o 

132 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 
Table  F.— STORES. 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10  or 
over. 

Alpena  

50.0 

28  6 

7.1 

14  3 

Battle  Creek  

12.6 

7.4 

19.0 

21.0 

5.3 

13.7 

21.0 

Bay  City 

36  4 

13  6 

11  9 

11  9 

6  3 

2  7 

17  2 

Detroit 

5  7 

8  6 

14  9 

14  0 

16  9 

8  6 

31  3 

Grand  Rapids     .         

16  6 

15  3 

17.3 

14  1 

12  8 

7  8 

16  1 

Jackson  
Kalamazoo  ;  

4.9 
3.3 

15.4 
17.8 

12.6 
30.0 

14.7 
16.7 

13.3 
2.2 

14.0 
8.9 

25.2 
21.1 

Lansing  •.  

17.1 

14.3 

11.4 

9.7 

11.4 

8.6 

27.4 

Ludington 

33  3 

22  2 

44  4 

Manistee 

38  1 

14  3 

19  0 

9  5 

14  3 

4.8 

Muskegon 

37.1 

12.9 

10.0 

10.0 

7.1 

2.9 

20".  0 

Pontiac  

6.7 

26.6 

20.0 

20.0 

6.7 

6.7 

13.3 

Port  Huron  

17.1 

23.4 

9.4 

14.1 

10.9 

4.7 

20.3 

42  6 

16  0 

16  0 

1  3 

5  4 

4  0 

14.7 

Traverse  City  

23.1 

7.7 

7.7 

7.7 

11.5 

7.7 

34.6 

Upper  Peninsula 

14  3 

14.3 

42.8 

28.6 

Ypsilanti                                               

14.3 

23.8 

23.8 

19.0 

14.3 

4.8 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
Table  G.— TELEPHONE  EXCHANGES. 


133 


Location. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 
$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
'   $10. 

$10  or 
over. 

33.3 

33.3 

33.3 

6.5 

34.8 

41.3 

6.5 

8.7 

2.2 

Bay  City 

58  6 

26.8 

14.6 

50.0 

25.0 

25.0 

Detroit                                                        

1.0 

2.0 

28.7 

16.8 

51.5 

Flint 

43.8 

25.0 

12.5 

6.2 

6.2 

6.2 

Grand  Rapids                                                  

5.6 

41.7 

8.3 

30.5 

8.3 

5.6 

31.5 

31.5 

16.7 

12.9 

1.8 

5.6 

7.4 

33.3 

25.9 

14.8 

3.7 

3.7 

11.1 

75  0 

16  7 

8.3 

50.0 

33.3 

16.7 

Pontiac  

30.6 

22.2 

38.9 

5.5 

2.8 

53.6 

21.4 

17.8 

3.6 

3.6 

Saginaw                            

15.4 

46.2 

30.8 

3.8 

3.8 

St  Joseph 

100.0 

Traverse  City 

46  1 

46.1 

7.7 

29  2 

37.5 

12.5 

8.3 

8.3 

4.1 

Ypsilanti 

25  0 

12  5 

62.5 

g 

ITEMIZED    EXPENDITURES    FOR    CLOTHES. 

Following  are  a  number  of  itemized  lists  of  clothes  expenditures  by 
women  and  girls  employed  in  the  different  occupations  under  investiga- 
tion. These  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  obtained,  but  they  are  relatively 
representative  of  the  entire  number. 

A  number  of  those  interviewed  said  they  gave  their  clothes  to  other 
members  of  their  family  when  they  had  worn  them  for  a  year  and  they 
had  become  too  shabby  for  wear  in  their  respective  places  of  employ- 
ment. The  variations  in  the  amount  of  yearly  expenditures  in  this 
direction  sometimes  mean  that  there  has  often  been  a  sacrifice  of 
amusement  and  recreation.  Many  times  their  health  has  been  endan- 
gered through  lack  of  sufficient  food,  in  order  to  have  more  to  spend 
on  clothes;  for  to  those  whose  employments  bring  them  into  direct 
touch  with  the  public  it  is  imperative  that  a  neat  appearance  be  pre- 
sented. 

Not  infrequently  this  expenditure  for  clothes  meant  sewing  long- 
hours  after  a  hard  and  trying  day's  work.  Others  were  more  fortunate 
and  had  either  a  mother  or  other  relative  to  make  their  clothes  for  them. 

The  items  included  in  the  "Incidental"  expenditures  are  laces,  rib- 
bons, belts,  buckles,  pins,  brooches,  and  toilet  accessories,  etc.,  accord- 
ing to  the  individuality  of  the  one  interviewed. 


134 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


SALESWOMAN — 24    years    of    age — single — 
lives  at   home — $6  per  week. 

Spring   suit .  .$14  00 

Coat    17  00 

Hats    10  00 

Shoes 10  50 

Repairing    shoes 1  50 

Rubbers    1  20 

4    summer    waists 8  00 


2    summer   dresses 11 

Winter  dress   7 

Separate    skirt 6 

Separate   winter   waist 4 

Hosiery     3 


Underwear — winter    3 

Underwear — summer    2  50 

Corsets   2  50 

Corset   covers    2  00 

Gloves    3  00 

Handkerchiefs    1  50 

Petticoats — summer    2  50 

Petticoats — winter    7  00 

Incidentals     10  00 


SALESWOMAN — single — 25    years    of  age — 
adrift — wages — $10   a   week. 

Spring  coat    $7  15 

Winter   coat — $17,   wears  2   years....  9  00 

Hats    25  00 

Shoes    1C  00 

Repairing    shoes     3  00 

Rubbers    1  20 

Summer    waists 0  00 

Summer  dresses    35  00 

Winter  dresses    30  00 

Petticoats     11  00 

Underwear   10  00 

Corsets    3  50 

Hosiery     3  00 

Nightgowns    3  50 

Gloves — given  her 

Handkerchiefs — some  given   her 1  00 

Incidentals     7  00 


$171  35 


$127  50 


STORE     EMPLOYE— age     18— boards  with 
sister — wages   $7    a   week. 

2  dresses — sister    made..  ..$12  00 

Coat    15  00 

Shoes    14  00 

3  hats — trims    her   own    hats 11  00 

Gloves     2  00 

Waists 11  68 

3   skirts    14  50 

Corsets    4  35 

Petticoats 2  95 

Underwear 2  00 

I  losiery    4  00 

Toilet  articles   75 

Umbrella    1  00 


$95  03 


STORE  EMPLOYE— 42  years  of  age— widow 
— wages   $10   a   week. 

Suit  bought  at  sale  $1O — wears  4  years 

by  dyeing  and  making  it  over.  ...  $3  00 

Winter  coat — wears  4  years — bought 
at  sale  $7 — dyes  and  makes  it  over 

Summer   hat    

Winter  hat 

pair  shoes 


.°>  00 
2  35 
2  50 
9  00 
75 


Repairing    shoes 

Rubbers    ..........................  75 

Waists    ...........................  3  00 

Dresses    ...........................  10  00 

Hosiery  at  19  cents  a  pair  ..........  1  15 

Corsets  —  38   cents  —  bought   at   sale...  1  00 

Petticoats    .........................  5  00 

Incidentals     .......................  10  00 

$51   50 


STORE  EMPLOYE — 21  years  of  age — wages 
$4.75  a  week. 

Sweater    $3  00 

Winter   coat   $13.75 — wears  2   years.  .  7  00 

2    hats — $3    and    $3.50 050 

2   pair   shoes    5  00 

Repairing    shoes 1  00 

Rubbers    1  65 

Summer    waists    5  00 

Summer   dresses    10  00 

Winter    waists   and   dresses *  .  .  .  10  00 

Separate   outside   skirt .  . 3  00 

Corsets    2  00 

Hosiery — 15  cents  a  pair 75 

Underwear     1  50 

Petticoats     4  00 

Handkerchiefs    1  20 

Gloves     1  50 

Incidentals     10  00 


$73  10 


STORE  EMPLOYE  —  22   years  of  age  —  wages 
$<;    a    week. 

Spring   coat  —  $14  —  wears   2   years....    $7  00 

Winter  coat  —  $22.50  —  wears  3  years..      8  00 

3  or  4  hats  ........................    10  00 

Shoes  $2.50  or  $3  a  pair  ............      8  25 

Rubbers     .......................... 

3    summer   waists  —  makes    them  ...... 

Winter  dresses  —  buys  at   sale  ........      7  00 

3    corsets  .......................... 

Corset  covers  —  makes  them  ..........  50 

Underwear   ........................      1  00 

Hosiery  —  some  given  her  ............ 

Separate   outside   skirt  ..............     4  00 

Petticoats     ........................      5  00 


Incidentals 


10  00 


$68  15 

Does  most  of  her  sewing.  Says  "I  buy  my 
clothes  on  time  at  installment  houses — $1 
down  and  $1  a  week.  Cheaper  than  buying 
where  I  work  even  with  my  percentage  off." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


135 


SALESWOMAN— 24    years    of    ago— adrift- 
wages   $5   a   week. 

Suit     $12  50 

Winter  coat — wears  1  year  then  gives 

to  younger  sister   20  00 

Hats    10  00 

Shoes     12  00 

Repairing    shoes     50 

Rubbers    1  50 

Summer    waists 10  00 

Summer    dresses    9  00 

Winter  dresses    10  00 

Corsets    5  00 

Corset  covers 2  00 

Petticoats     4  00 

Hosiery     4  00 

I'uderwear   3  75 

Gloves     2  00 

Nightgowns     2  00 

Apron    1   00 

Handkerchiefs     1  80 

Separate  outside  skirt 12  00 

Incidentals     5  00 

$128  05 


Kl'YER  IN  SUIT  DEPARTMENT— age  35— 
wages  $20  a  week  with  commission. 

Spring   coat    or   suit $1G  50 

Winter  coat  or  suit 35  00 

Winter  hat 8  00 

Summer   hat    10  00 

Shoes    7  00 

Hosiery    ^ 5  00 

Summer  dresses    25  00 

Winter   dresses 15  00 

Summer  waists   20  00 

Corsets    5  00 

Corset    covers     "5  00 

Underwear   10  00 

Outside    skirts 25  00 

Petticoats     15  00 

Nightgowns    10  00 

Gloves     5  00 

Handkerchiefs     3  00 

Incidentals     25  00 


$244  50 


SALESWOMAN— 21    years    of    age— adrift- 
wages  $11  a  week. 

Suit  or  coat  every  spring $15  00 

Winter  coat — $20;  wears  2  or  3  years  10  00 

Hats    1C  00 

Shoes     25  00 

Summer    wuists 5  00 

Summer  dresses    10  50 

Winter    dress-  s 15   00 

Petticoats     4  00 

Corsets    10  00 

Corset   covers    3  00 

Underwear — some   given   her 3  00 

Hosiery 800 

Gloves 3  00 

Aprons 1  50 

Nightgowns    3  00 

Incidentals     10  00 


Sits  up  late  nights  sewing. 


$142  00 


STORE    EMPLOYE— wages    $6    a    week. 

Winter       coat — $12.50 — wears       three 

years     $4  10 

Summer  coat — $4 — wears  2  years. ...  2  00 

Winter  hats 5  50 

Summer  hats 3  50 

Shoes     2  G9 

Dresses   4  25 

Hosiery     3  00 

Separate  skirt 4  25 

Corsets    3  00 

Gloves     3  00 

Underwear — none  this  year 


$35  35 


STORK    EMPLOYE— wages    $G    a    week. 

Spring    coat    or    suit — $21 — wears    3 

years    

Winter  coat — wears  3  or  4  seasons. 

Hats    

Shoes 

Repairing  shoes    

Rubbers    

Hosiery 

<  'orsets    

Underwear   

Petticoats    

Summer  waists  and  dresses!  '.'.'.'.'.'. 
(Wear  same  waists  in  the  winter.) 
<;  loves  

Handkerchiefs   ! .  . . . 

Two  separate  skirts  (outside).'! 
Incidentals ! '.  | 

$74  15 


TELEPHONE    EMPLOYE— 19    years   of   age 

• — adrift — wages   $10   per   week. 

Spring   coat   or   suit $16  50 

Winter  suit 17  50 

Winter    coat    9  5O 

Hats    14   HO 

Shoes    14  00 

Repairing    shoes GO 

Summer     waists 7  00 

Summer    dress    * 15  00 

Winter   drosses    '. 34  00 

Petticoats     4  00 

Corsets    3  00 

Corset  covers 1  00 

Hosiery     3  00 

Underwear   6  50 

Nightgowns    3  00 

Handkerchiefs    , 1  50 

Gloves     3  50 

Separate  outside  skirts 12  00 

Incidentals     10  00 

$ITG~IO 


136 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


TELEPHONE  EMPLOYE— 20  years  of  age— 
'  living  at   home — wages   $27   per   month. 

Spring  suit  or  coat $18  50 

Winter   coat — given   her ^  .... 

2  hats — $3.75    each — sister    milliner..  7  50 

Shoes   (2  pair) 9  00 

Rubbers    80 

Summer  waists 12  00 

3  summer  dresses — sister  gave  her  two  8  00 

Winter    dresses — $20    and    $7 27  00 

Separate   outside   skirt '. .  . .  5  00 

Petticoats     5  00 

Corsets   3  00 

Corset   covers    1  50 

Hosiery     2  50 

Underwear     4  60 

Nightgowns     3  00 

Handkerchiefs     3  00 

Incidentals     10  00 

$120  40 


TELEPHONE  EMPLOYE — living  at  home — 
age   18   years — wages   $25   per   month. 

Spring  suit  or  coat  every  other  year 
$18  

Winter  coat — wears  2  years,  $9.75 — 
bought  it  late 

Hats    $4.50   and    $3.50 

Shoes   

Repairing   shoes    

Rubbers    

5    summer    waists 

Summer  dresses    

Separate  outside  skirts 

Dresses    for   winter — $10    and    $15 .  .  . 

Petticoats    

Corsets    

3    combinations    

Underwear     

Hosiery    „ . .  .  . 

Gloves     

Nightgowns    

Incidentals     


$9  00 

5  00 
8  00 

14  00 
1  95 
1  30 

6  50 
10  50 

5  00 
25  00 

3  00 
00 
50 


50 


5  00 

3  00 

3  00 

10  00 


Handkerchiefs  are  given  to  her. 


$121  25 


LAUNDRY 


EMPLOYE — living     at 
wages  $5  a  week. 


home — 


Hat   (trimmed  over) $2,50 

Shoes    . 10  50 

Hosiery    10  00 

Underclothes    11  00 

Winter  coat 15  00 

Winter    hat. 3  50 

Dresses    18  00 

Soft    skirt    5  00 

Waists    5  00 

Gloves     3  00 

Corsets    3  00 

Petticoats    4  39 

$90  89 


LAUNDRY    EMPLOYE — 35    years    of    age-- 
adrift— wages  $7  a  week. 


Winter  coat — every  2   years  $5 

(Got  it  through  a  mail  order  house  in 

Chicago.) 

Spring  coat — second  hand  $2 

Summer  hats — wore  3  summers  $2 .... 

Winter  hats — 2  winters  $2 

Summer  waists — given  her  this  year.. 

Dress     

Petticoat — given   her   by   relatives.... 

Corsets    

Winter    dresses — wear    suit    skirt    and 

summer  waists    

Shoes    (2  pair) — $1  a  pair 

Underwear — given  her 

Incidentals     


$2  50 

2  00 

75 

1  00 

i'98 

i'oo 


2  00 


$11  23 


LAUNDRY    EMPLOYE — 45    years    of    age 
home — wages  $10  a  week. 

5    calico    dresses — $1.25    each 

2    shirt    waists — $1    and    $1.98 — will 

last  2  years 1  50 

Suit  $11 — wears  2   years 0  00 

Separate    outside    skirt — have    had    3 

or  4  years,  $5 1  50 

Dressing  sack 1  00 

Winter     dress — had     2     years,     wear 

another   year — cost   $10 3  50 

Winter   coat — had   it   4   or    5    years — 

wear  to  work  next  year  $35 7  00 

Hats    $5 — took    trimming    off   and    put 

on  last  summers  hat — wear  2  years.      3  00 

Shoes— $2.50    and    $2 4  50 

Petticoat — make   over 1  98 

Hosiery — wear  daughter's  old  ones  and 

get   her   new   ones 1  90 

2  union  suits — wears  2  or  3  years.  .  .  . 

Underwear — summer    87 

Gloves     1  00 

Nightgowns    1  00 

Handkerchiefs — given    her 


LAUNDRY    EMPLOYE — 20    years    of    age — 
adrift — wages  $6.25  a  week. 

$6  25        Suit — every   2   or   3   years   $22.50 $12  00 

Winter  coat — wears  2  years  $20 10  00 

2  hats — $4  and  $.98 — trimmed  it  her- 
self          4  98 

Shoes    (2    pair)  / 4  00 


Hosiery 
Summer 


a  GO 
6  00 


ler  waists   

Winter      waists      and      dresses      wears 

them  several  years 

Corsets    3  O1 

Corset   covers    

Petticoats     

Underwear — wears   3   years 

Nightgowns    1  90 

Gloves — given   her    

Handkerchiefs — given    her . 

Incidentals     30' 

$60  44 

Pays    $1    down    and   $1    per   week    on    her 
clothes — always   in   debt — owes   $17   now. 


$41  95 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


137 


LAUNDRY    WORKER — 32    years    of    age — 
$6.72   for   5  days'   work. 

Spring  coat  $9 — wears  2  years $4  50 

Winter    coat    $15 — wears    2    years    or 

more    7  00 

Summer    waists     4  00 

Summer  dresses — 1  given  her 4  00 

Winter  dress   8  00 

2  separate  skirts 10  00 

2  hats 10  00 

4  pair  shoes 11  50 

Repairing  shoes    75 

Rubbers    75 

Underwear   3  00 

Corsets    1  50 

Hosiery     2  00 

Petticoats     4  00 

Gloves  given  her 

Incidentals     10  00 

$81  00 


CIGAR     FACTORY     EMPLOYE— age  36— 
married — wages   $8   a   week. 

Spring  suit — every  other  year  $25 $12  00 

Winter    coat    12  50 

Hats 10  00 

Shoes    8  00 

Repairing  shoes    1  00 

Rubbers    1  50 

Hosiery     2  00 

Petticoats     7  00 

Separate  outside  skirt 5  00 

Aprons    • 1  00 

Summer    waists    6  00 

Dresses 17  50 

Winter  dress   7  00 

Corset  waists    2  00 

Underwear    and    nightgowns 9  50 

Gloves     2  50 

Handkerchiefs     2  00 

Incidentals     10  00 


$117  00 


CORE-MAKER — age  25 — home — wages   $9   a 
week. 

Spring  coat   $8  00 

Spring  dress    11  00 

Shoes    12  00 

Winter    coat    8  00 

Dress 5  00 

Waists     4  00 

Hats     , 12  00 

Corsets     4  00 

Hosiery    5  00 

Petticoats     4  00 

Underwear 7  00 

Incidentals    5  00 


$85  00 


CORE-MAKER — age  22 — boards  at  brother's 
— pays    $3.50 — wages    $10.45. 

Suit     $15  00 

Winter    coat    18  00 

Furs    20  00 

Hats    12  00 

Dresses     30  00 

Skirts 15  00 

Waists — $3.50  and  $1.75 5  25 

2  work  dresses 2  00 

4  suits  underwear 8  00 

4  pair  corsets   4  00 

2  petticoats — $6.50  and  $5 11  50 

Shoes    20  00 

Hosiery     8  00 

Gloves     2  00 

Incidentals 10  00 


$180  75 


CORE-MAKER — 47    years    of    age— adrift- 
wages  $5.40  a  week. 

Shoes  1  pair   $3  00 

Rppair  shoes    75 

Hals — trims  them  over  each  year....  7  00 

Summer  waists 5  00 

Summer  dress — makes  own 30 

Winter  dress   10  00 

Aprons     2  00 

Hosiery     1  50 

Corsets    1  50 

Underwear — winter    50 

Underwear — summer    50 

Gloves     1  50 

Winter  coat — $24,   wears   3   years.  ...  8  00 

Spring  coat — had  it  made 9  00 

Incidentals     10  00 

Rubbers    1  50 

Handkerchiefs     1  80 

$63  85 


CORE-MAKER— 47    years    of    age 
week. 


-$6    full 


Hasn't   had  a   new   suit  or   coat   in   4 

years    

Hats    $5  00 

2  pair  shoes    6  50 

Rubbers    1  50 

Hosiery     1  50 

Dresses  and  waists   15  00 

Aprons     2  00 

Petticoats     2  50 

Separate   outside   skirt 8  00 

Underwear 4  00 

Corsets     3  00 

Gloves     2  50 

Incidentals     5  00 

$56  50 


138 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Spring  suit  or  coat  every  year  ......  $20  00 

Winter    coat  —  wears   2    years  ........     7  50 


Hats 


13  00 


FACTORY  EMPLOYE— wages  $6.50  a  week.        FACTORY    EMPLOYE— wages    $10    a  week. 

Spring  suit  about  every  other  year — 

$20 $10  00 

Winter  coat,  wears  from  2  to  3  years 

$25   8  50 

Hats    10  00 

Shoes    6  00 

Repairing    shoes     00 

Rubbers     80 

Hosiery 2  25 

Knit  underwear — winter 1  50 

Summer  underwear    2  52 

Petticoats     3  50 

Summer    waists    and    dresses 22  50 

Winter   waists   and   dresses 18  00 

Aprons     1  50 

Gloves     3  00 

Nightgowns    2  25 

Handkerchiefs     7T> 

Corsets     (2) 2  00 

Corset    covers    3  00 

Separate    skirts 5  00 

Incidentals     5  00 


Shoes     9 

Repairing    shoes 2  25 

Rubbers    75 

Hosiery     6  00 

Knit  underwear    3  50 

Corsets    2  00 

Corset    covers 2  00 

Nightgowns    3  00 

Petticoats     2  50 

Gloves    2  50 

Handkerchiefs     2  00 


Summer  waists  and  dresses 10  00 

Winter   waists   and   dresses 7  00 

Aprons    2  00 

Separate  outside  skirts   3  00 

Incidentals     .                                             .  10  00 


$108  00 


$108  67 
Does  some  of  her  own  plain  sewing. 


PART  IV. 


WAGE  FIGURES  SUPPLIED  BY  EMPLOYEES. 

During  this  investigation  into  the  practicability  and  advisability  of 
recommending  a  minimum  wage  for  Michigan  wage-earning  women, 
the  Commission  has  yet  to  record  the  absolute  refusal  of  any  employer 
to  furnish  any  information  requested.  In  great  part  employers  act 
with  commendable  speed  in  forwarding  properly  filled  blanks.  A  con- 
siderable number  supplemented  their  reports  with  suggestions  in  aid 
of  the  investigation.  Others  showed  a  cordiality  that  made  the  Com- 
mission feel  that  the  problem  had  many  friendly  investigators  among 
employers. 

The  Commission  sent  approximately  1,750  employers'  blanks  to  as 
many  establishments  supposedly  employing  ten  or  more  women  wage- 
earners.  Owing  to  the  business  depression  the  past  year,  a  number 
requested  the  privilege  of  waiting  until  they  were  employing  a  normal 
force,  but  which  did  not  materialize.  Others  were  closed  down,  finding 
it  more  economical  to  do  nothing  rather  than  to  do  little,  or  had  been 
put  out  of  business  by  a  change  of  fashions,  as  in  the  case  of  skirt 
makers.  A  few  wrere  neglectful  of  their  duty  to  the  State. 


Notwithstanding  these  misfortunes  and  omissions,  there  were  respon- 
ses from  1,348  establishments  employing  daily  on  the  average  50,351 
wage-earning  women,  and  paying  wages  in  some  cases  as  low  as  $3  per 
week.  In  most  instances,  however,  this  low  wage  went  to  apprentices 
and  beginners,  and  to  those  under  16  years  of  age.  In  the  matter  of 
apprentices,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  figures,  the  average  weekly 
pay  was  |4.44.  This  is  the  only  case,  in  these  particular  tables,  in 
which  an  "average"  wage  is  used.  As  an  "average". conceals  as  much 
as  it  reveals,  employers  were  requested  to,  and  did  send  in,  the  actual 
wnges  paid  to  i:>  waj;e -receiving1  classes,  ranging  from  less  than  f3  to 
*1  I  and  over,  per  week.  This  renders  it  easy  to  see  how  many  are  being 
pjiid  under,  and  how  many  are  receiving  over,  whatever  may  hereafter 
be  considered  a  "living  wage." 


140  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

MINIMUM   WAGE  NOT  SPECIFIED. 

The  Commission  has  nowhere  in  this,  report  undertaken  to  say  just 
what  a  "minimum  wage,"  or  a  "living  wage,'7  or  a  "just  wage"  should 
or  may  be.  This  was  not  one  of  the  duties  assigned  it.  A  right  de- 
cision can  only  be  reached  after  close  investigation  of  each  occupation 
or  industry,  independent  of  all  other  occupations  or  industries.  At  most, 
these  tabulations  indicate  the  number  receiving  below  and  the  number 
receiving  above  what  might  be  termed  a  "median"  wage  line,  the  median 
line  varying  with  trade  conditions,  environment,  the  habits  of  the  wage- 
earners  and  the  cost  of  living. 

If  this  median  line  be  placed  at  an  $8  a  week  wage,  say,  the  figures 
furnished  by  employers  show  that  51.4  per  cent  of  the  women  in  their 
employ  receive  less  than  this  sum.  If  a  self-supporting  woman  cannot 
live  on  less  than  $8  a  week,  then  half  of  the  women  in  Michigan  working 
for  a  living  are  not  receiving  a  wage  sufficient  to  feed,  clothe,  shelter, 
educate  and  amuse  them.  If  a  f  6  a  week  line  is  made  the  median  for  the 
50,230  wage-earning  women  whose  wages  were  reported,  there  are  10,898, 
or  21.7  per  cent  working  for  less  than  a  dollar  a  day,  so  that  in  no  event 
can  their  wages  exceed  $311  a  year,  unless  they  work  Sundays,  Fourth  of 
July  and  Christmas. 

OBJECTIONS  TO  DRASTIC  LEGISLATION. 

With  every  fifth  woman  wage-earner  on  this  low  wage  plane,  the  prob- 
lems that  would  develop  should  a  minimum  wage  be  adopted  become 
apparent.  To  suddenly  demand  that  21.7  per  cent  of  all  women  wage- 
earners  be  paid  an  advance  of  33  per  cent  in  wages,  as  would  be  neces- 
sary should  $8  a  week  be  adopted  as  a  minimum  wage,  without  pro- 
vision being  made  for  beginners  and  apprentices,  would  seriously  dis- 
turb the  present  industrial  equilibrium.  But  the  fact  is  that  this  low 
wage  does,  in  the  main,  go  to  beginners  and  apprentices,  two  classes 
of  which  any  proper  minimum  wage  law  will  take  cognizance,  in  al- 
lowing them  to  be  paid  somewhere  between  50  and  80  per  cent  of  the 
minimum  wage. 

These  figures  are  mentioned  not  as  advising  or  suggesting  what  a 
minimum  wage  might  be,  but  simply  as  showing  some  of  the  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  legislation  aiming  to  materially  financially  benefit  any 
considerable  number  of  women  wage-earners.  Still,  the  difficulty  of 
solving  a  problem  in  no  wise  diminishes  the  duty  of  solving  it.  If  women 
are  to  be  protected  from  exploitation,  providing  they  are  exploited, 
or  their  health  or  morals  safeguarded,  the  State  should  be  brave  enough 
and  honest  enough  to  do  whatever  the  situation  demands. 

The  necessity  of  suppressing  the  sources  of  the  Commission's  infor- 
mation as  to  wages,  in  order  to  keep  faith  with  employers  filling  blanks, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  141 

has  compelled  tabulation  by  occupations  separate  from  locations,  and 
by  locations  separate  from  occupations.  Otherwise,  where  there  is  but 
one  industry  of  a  certain  kind  in  a  locality,  to  tabulate  the  place  and 
the  industry  together  would  be  to  tell  what  establishment  had  furnished 
the  information.  These  establishments  are  located  in  159  cities,  towns 
and  villages  and  represent  close  to  200  occupations.  The  tables  show 
remarkable  diversity  of  employments  and  as  well  the  fact  that  they 
are  scattered  all  through  the  State.  And  although  25,392,  or  half,  of 
these  50,351  wage-earning  women  are  employed  in  297  establishments 
in  Detroit  and  4,556  of  them  in  93  establishments  in  Grand  Rapids,  the 
other  1,058  establishments  represent  the  commercial  activities  of  157 
large  and  small  business  centers. 

ACTUAL   MINIMUM    WAGE  NOT  REVEALED. 

It  is  possible  that  in  these  tabulations  the  wages  paid  in  small  places, 
where  the  cost  of  living  is  low  as  compared  to  the  large  cities,  has  pulled 
down  the  average  wage.  The  Commission  has  not  followed  to  any  ex- 
tent this  line  of  investigation.  It  may  be  said,  however,  that  whereas 
51.4  per  cent  of  these  50,230  wage-earning  women  scattered  throughout 
the  entire  State  receive  less  than  f  8  a  week,  in  Detroit  only  42  per  cent  of 
the  25,392  employed  there,  receive  this  sum;  and  whereas  for  the  whole 
State  21.7  per  cent  of  wage-earning  women  represented  in  these  tabula- 
tions receive  less  than  |6  a  week,  for  Detroit  only  15  per  cent  receive 
this  wage. 

While  the  following  tabulations  are  conclusive  as  to  the  maximum 
paid  these  50,230  women  wage-earners,  they  are  not  conclusive  as  to 
the  minimum.  For  comparatively  few  of  these  women  worked  52  weeks 
in  the  year.  Just  what  deduction  should  be  made  in  order  to  show  the 
actual  amount  each  woman  wage-earner  has  to  live  on  each  week,  is 
treated  of  in  another  part  of  this  report.  The  employers'  blanks  threw 
no  light  on  this  important  question. 


142 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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143 


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146 


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140 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table    No.    35.— WHAT     1,348    ESTABLISHMENTS    IN    MICHIGAN    ARE    PAYING    50,230 

FROM 


Industry. 

Number  of  establish- 
ments. 

Average  number 
women  employed 
daily. 

Wages  paid  per  week. 

Under 
$2.99. 

$3  and 
under 
$3.99. 

$4  and 
under 
$4.99. 

$5  and 
under 
$5.99. 

$6  and 
under 
$6.99. 

$7  and 
under 
$7.99. 

$8  and 
under 
$8.99. 

ENTIRE  STATE  

1,348 

*50,351 

690 

1,172 

2,986 

6,050 

8,025 

6,887 

6,465 

Agricultural  implements  
Adding  machines  
Automobiles  
Automobile  painting  and  trimming  
Automobile  accessories  

Automobile  tops  

2 
1 
22 
2 
14 

2 
1 
2 
1 

7 

2 
1 
1 
6 
5 

1 
2 
3 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 

12 

13 
1 

1 
1 

1 

1 
26 
4 
1 
1 

1 
9 
1 
1 
1 

4 

3 
1 
1 

3 
1 
11 
5 
1 

2 
1 
1 
14 
5 

19 
434 
1,449 
73 

5  87 

97 
15 
35 
10 
247 

34 
8 
3 
157 
336 

44 
34 
46 
25 
26 

30 
12 
17 
34 

1,013 

506 
22 
11 
15" 
19 

45 
4,783 
173 
33 
18 

6 
2,251 
68 
49 
15 

70 
55 
52 
51 
20 

67 
36 
1,443 
160 
24 

24 
7 
10 
397 
153 

3 
51 
22 
3 

57 

7 
12 
7 
2 
12 

4 
64 
71 

4 
89 

7 
1 
4 
1 
24 

9 
6 

6 
4               4 

1 
••y 

36 

11 

"'ei' 

5 

Air  rifles  .... 

Awnings,  tents,  flags,  pennants,  etc  
Assembling  fountain  pens  
Baked  goods  

5 

A 

"'43' 
25 

'"(>' 
"'9' 

2 
"'65' 

ft 

"'25' 

8 
2 

2 
2 
64 

4 
2 

"'24' 
64 

7 
13 
1 
5 
1 

10 
4 

••y 

163 

86 
5 
6 
9 

Box  shooks  
Boats  

1 

"26 

46 

6 

"'4 
1 
1 

Band  instruments  
Bras"  goods 

i 

21  - 
95 

4 

5 
26 

8 

10 
2 
2 
5 

144 

60 

7 

Breakfast  foods  
Brushes  

Baskets  
Brewing  malt  liquors  and  ginger  ale  
Buffing  wheels  ,  
Brooms  

Billiard  tables,  etc  
Baby  carriages 

2 

76 
21 

9 

6 

98 
148 

4 

8 

2 

ii 

157 

97 

2 

'"id 

11 

377 
17 

.... 
1 
63 

46 
2 

Butcher  saws,  etc,  
Boots,  woolen  v 

Canned  and  pickled  goods  

Confectionery  
Catarrhal  remedies  
Chemical  paper  and  pulp  
Coin  wrappers  
Corrugated  paper  

Carpet  sweepers  
Cigars  
Cigar  boxes 

140 

'"246" 

!"!'.!"  i 
'"219  247' 

3             19 

3 

7 
368 
25 
1 
5 

"/321 

'"is 

8 
455 
43 

2 

432 

47 

"'4' 

2 
455 
1 
3 

Computing  scales  
Capsules  

Caps  
Corsets  
Cleaning  materials  
Car  locks  and  seals  

1 

4 

2 
394 
8 
5 
15 

43 
1 
9 
14 
4 

14 
16 
151 
20 

5 
2 

"'si' 

20 

19 

47           145 

15               6 

1     

262 
9 

12 
1 

16 
8 

16 
8 
270 
33 

2 

1 

"'87' 
11 

Condensed  milk  
Cleaning  and  dyeing  
Caskets  and  burial  goods  
Children's  vehicles  and  wire  specialties  .  . 
Draperies  and  window  shades  

Dairy  products  and  ice  cream  
Display  fixtures  
Drugs,  chemicals  and  perfumes  
Electrical  supplies  
Electrical  distribution  

Extracts,  perfumes,  etc  
Evaporating  apples  
Electric  vacuum  cleaners  
Furniture  
Foundry  products  

7 
7 
5 
8 
4 

13 
8 
468 
26 
2 

5 
2 
9 
42 
30 

5 
14 
4 
8 
5 

2 
1 
232 
17 
3 

3 
1 

'"83 

13 

1     . 

"'is' 

"'33' 
5 

2 

"'g 

4 

*While  50,351  is  the  average  number  daily  employed  in  1,348  establishments,  this  does  not  in  each  case  show  the  number 


information  covering  wages  received  by  its  piece-workers. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


147 


WAGE-EARNING   WOMEN    FOLLOWING  197  OCCUPATIONS,  AS  SHOWN  BY  RETM!\s 
EMPLOYERS. 


Wages  paid  per  week. 

Girls  under  16 
years  of  age. 

How  employed. 

$9  and 
under 
$9.99. 

$10  and 
under 
$10.99. 

$11  and 
under 
$11.99. 

$12  and 
under 
$12.99. 

$13  and 
under 
$13.99. 

$14  and 
over. 

Number 
em- 
ployed. 

Average 
wage. 

By  the 
month. 

By  the 
week. 

By  the 
day. 

By  the 
hour. 

By  the 
piece. 

4,851 

4,273 

2,092 

2,224 

1,168 

3,347 

1,133 

$444 

3,929 

15,399 

2,232 

9,508 

19,554 

2 
59 
95 
8 
91 

5 

2 
75 
174 
24 
35 

4 

2 
63 
97 
8 
47 

1 

4 
46 
154 
7 
54 

3 
1 

2 

'"23 
219 

13 
59 

2 

2 
53 
696 
6 
115 

11 
1 

1 
1 

4 

1 

7 

12 
271 

"! 

41 

6 

15 
15 

10 

108 

..... 

3 
43 

70 

"  '  159 
305 
47 
344 

30 

4 
443 
19 
144 

62 

679 
2 
90 

3 

2 

13 

2 
11 

"'i' 
'"s 

35 

7 
1 
1 
1 
3 

2 
•> 
14 

2 

2 

2 

$5  00 

20 

3 

6 

1 
2 

1 

11 

4  47 

5 

2 

37 
28 

102 

2 
16 
51 

'"5 
16 

'"6 

"'ii' 

'"59 
264 

15 

'"38 
2 

29 
21 

9 
6 

2 
11 

16 

12 

3 

5  50 

13 

4 

2 
3 

2 
2 

3 

2 

3 

46 
5 

20 
26 

18 
7 
12 
14 

636 
225 

2 

1 

6 

6 
6 
1 
20 

224 
175 

4 

1 
10 

72 

16 
2 

"'i' 

2 

2 
461 
8 
5 

1 

238 
8 
11 

2 
6 

22 

10 
1 

"'»' 

7 

4 
1 

"'a' 

10 

2 
1 
5 
1 
1 

1 
352 
2 
9 
2 

1 

42 
8 

"'4' 

43 

106 
22 

5 
13 

4 

3 

1 

"'62' 
12 
10 

"'3'02' 
(a) 
4  30 

3 

55 

5 

6 

3 
19 

6 

6 

10 
695 
7 
4 
1 

2 
354 
1 
1 
1 

1 
317 
2 
5 

1 

209 
1 
8 

16 

47 
15 

29 
4,308 
143 

346 
26 

3  85 
4  65 

315 
17 
33 
5 

6 
92 

62 

"'si 

2 

"'6'23' 
(a) 

14 

190 
3 

7 

69 
3 

1 

47 
3 
6 

23 
4 

1 

667 
12 
4 

1,493 
5 

45 

51 

15 

1 
37 
19 

'"9 
7 
6 
1 

6' 
3 
73 
10 
4 

2 

"'36' 
20 

"Y 
i 

2 

2 
6 

2 

6  40 

14 

12 
10 

45 
6 
22 
2 

10 

14 
2 
4 
4 

6 

49 

1 
1 

"'56' 
3 

1 
5 

20 

67 
6 
220 

28 

7 

3 

,"i56' 
10 

7 

1 

35 
12 

...... 

30 
651 
49 

40 
8 
2 

2 

27 
7 
3 

1 

43 
6 

2 

23 

5  18 

125 
6 
24 

1 

547 
66 

1 

13 

10 

7 

'"m 

100 

"'25' 
14 

"'is' 

15 

"'5' 
1 

10 

"'167' 
25 

23 
14 

1 
4 

ft 

37 
18 

80 
11 

148 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table    No.   35.— WHAT    1,348   ESTABLISHMENTS    IN    MICHIGAN    ARE    PAYING    50,230 

FROM 


Industry. 

8 

it 

^ 

Average  number 
women  employed 
daily. 

Wages  paid  per  week. 

Under 
$2.99. 

$3  and 
under 
$3.99. 

$4  and 
under 
$4.99. 

$5  and 
under 
$5.99. 

$6  and 
under 
$6.99. 

$7  and 
under 
$7.99. 

$8  and 
under 
$8.99. 

Fur  and  fur  goods  

12 
1 
1 
1 
3 

17 
32 

5 

2 

1 

2 

1 
1 

22 
83 

2 
3 
1 
1 
5 

1 

1 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

2 
3 
3 

3 

1 

1 

2 
1 
3 

1 

1 
1 

1 
32 
2 

14 
16 
2 
1 
1 

419 
26 
51 
21 
36 

107 
130 
30 
174 
11 

50 
24 
35 

6 
2,427 
1,879 

118 
65 
10 
5 
23 

77 
50 
14 
2,053 
2,755 

124 
55 
2 
4 
100 

37 
55 
93 
10 
11 

29 
15 
123 
60 
20 

85 
180 
85 
78 

7 

13 
27 
20 
299 
155 

35 
27 
75 
809 
15 

611 
833 
62 
27 
201 

10 

30 
3 

61 
3 

47 

65 
6 

41 

8 

Fishing  tackle                                   

Fertilizer  and  glue  
Fire  alarm  and  night-watch  office  
Fruit  packages 

9 
6 

37 
21 
1 
17 
6 

4 
7 
1 
1 
290 
197 

15 
13 
2 
1 
1 

6 

"'383' 
634 

9 
9 

9 

12 
19 

1 

3 

23 
8 
6 
5 
3 

17 
5 

8 
1 
208 
195 

22 
4 
3 
1 
2 

1 
20 
3 

477 
694 

84 
6 

Fly  paper  .  .                                  

Featherbone,  dress  stays,  etc  

1 
3 

3 
5 

8 
13 
4 

Folding  crates  
Gas  and  by-products 

2 

33 

5 
1 

Gelatine  

Gloves  and  mittens  
Glass 

1 

1 

""& 

7 
3 
10 

8 
8 
10 
4 
137 
197 

15 

Growing  peas  
Gum  

'"546 
174 

12 
9 

74 
9 

83 
34 

97 
85 

4 

Garments  (women's::::::::::::::::: 

Hardware  and  plumbers'  supplies  
Heating  and  ventilating  apparatus  
Hooks  and  eyes 

3 

Harness  
Hair  goods 

1 

3 

5 

2 

1 

13 
23 

Insurance  office  
Insulated  wire  and  cables  
Jewelry 

13 

'"3 
266 
390 

5 
15 

Knit  goods 

31 
6 

50 
17 

128 
83 

296 
422 

21 
1 
2 
1 
19 

1 

4 
3 

Laundries  

Lithographing 

Leather  gloves 

1 

Leather  specialties 

Lace  curtains 

1 
19 

4 

20 
5 
4 

7 

4 
4 
12 
12 

8 
29 
29 
3 
3 

3 
4 
3 
57 
30 

4 
4 
10 
114 
10 

140 
165 
7 
11 
16 

'"& 

10 
9 
11 
2 

5 

'"i2 

Mail  order  house  
Metal  beds  and  bedding 

9 

Metal  specialties 

9 

7 

3 

Metal  pant  buttons 

Moccasins  
Macaroni  and  allied  products 

••y 

1 

2 
3 
18 

2 

1 

7 
16 
14 
4 

20 
9 
3 
5 

Mining  
Metal  stamps 

Muslin  underwear  and  waists  
Matches  ... 

21 
2 

13 
12 
7 
3 

13 
4 
4 

12 
11 
6 
11 

2 
4 
3 
.35 

Malleable  iron  fittings  
Malleable  iron  castings 

'"2 

1 

••y 
1 

Millinery 

Machinery  '  
Motors  and  engines 

Magnets  and  spark  coils  

Mandolins  and  guitars  
Neckwear 

3 
5 

43 

28 

13 

4 

5 
1 
51 
12 

6 
3 

"'125' 

Oiling  devices  
Office  supplies.         , 

"'35' 

15 
26 

45 

24 

Picking  beans  
Printing  counter  sale  pads  . 

5 
2 
57 
114 

Pearl  buttons 

3 



5 

Picture  frames,  etc  
Printing,  binding,  etc  
Plant  growing 



8 

31 

63 

Paper  boxes,  etc  
Paper 

"V 

5 
3 

75 

18 

162 
24 
30 
4 
15 

91 
129 
9 

77 
301 
7 
4 
25 

Pins,  chapleta  and  nails  

2 

Petticoats  and  pants 

20 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


149 


WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  FOLLOWING  197  OCCUPATIONS,  AS  SHOWN  BY  RETURNS 
EMPLOYERS. — Continued. 


Wages  paid  per  week. 

Girls  under  16 
years  of  age. 

How  employed. 

$9  and 
under 
$9.99. 

$10  and 
under 
$10.99. 

$11  and 
under 
$11.99. 

$12  and 
under 
$12.99. 

$13  and 
under 
$13.99. 

$14  and 
over. 

Number 
em- 
ployed. 

Average 
wage. 

By  the 
month. 

By  the 
week. 

By  the 
day. 

By  the 
hour. 

By  the 
piece. 

26 
2 

"'i' 

19 

9 
25 

55 

23 
2 

40 
2 
1 

31 

1 
2 
...... 

37 

'"2 
1 

5 

$5  48 

17 

84 
26 

36 

144 

138 

1 

4 

47 



1 

21 

4 

12 
16 

80 

34 

21 
116 

25 

3 

17 

5 

9 

4 
1 

1 

4 
14 



1 

5  00 

5 

28 
3 

20 

2 

18 
1 

13 
1 

25 

174 
1 

10 

7 

3 

'"24 

38 
'"35 

'"e 

182 
593 

43 
23 
2 
5 
23 

1 

300 
178 

20 
9 
1 
1 
11 

10 
2 
3 
157 
236 

2 

7 

227 
148 

10 
2 
1 

150 
90 

1 
4 

115 
70 

2 
12 

76 

28 

4 
1 

154 

64 

14 
10 

16 

18 

2  30 
4  20 

7 

3 
1 

17 
31 

121 

66 

7 
18 

2,130 
(b)  1,171 

66 
21 

7 

1 
1 

2 

3 

6 

1 
2 
98 
141 

"'5' 

2 

8 

2 

"'2' 

'"12 
21 

..... 

10 

76 
4 
9 
1 

46 
3 
412 
602 

122 

2 

2 

77 
47 

1 
9 

"'45' 
65 

1 
27 
58 

2 
1 

"'25' 
21 

'"2 

"Vn 

5  20 

'"(a)' 

1 

195 
1,839 

2 
6 

1 
238 
334 

1,201 
39 

47 
2 

5 

12 
8 
9 

••y 

5 
5 
21 
3 

4 

..... 

1 

••y 

2 

8 

'"96 
12 

"'i' 

1 
1 

2 

5 
3 

'"16 

'"e 

1 
25 

24 
24 
70 
3 
3 

'"8 

:::.i: 

'"5  50 

6 
5 

1 

'"i? 

5 

7 

:::::::: 

1 

1 

1 

2 

9 

29 

1 
11 
4 
5 

18 

12 
2 
12 
4 

2 
2 
3 
15 

'  'ii 



15 
15 
20 
5 

12 
14 
10 
5 

'"97 
40 
14 

57 
65 

22 

'"4 

14 
2 
4 

8 
61 
6 

7 

3 

"'a' 

7 
2 

4 

18 

4 
15 
6 

i 
i 

3 
3 

i 

(a) 

17 
100 
17 
4 

22 
24 
3 

i 

4 
36 
69 

10 

14 

10 

3 
1 

1 

1 
2 
20 

2 

"'i' 

9 

3 

6 
1 
4 

12 

7 

9 

2 

"'5' 
197 

20 
15 

H3 
155 

12 
23 
6 
114 

4 

47 

3 
3 
4 

77 

27 
151 

4 

'     36' 

• 

2 

1 

..... 

'"l7 
2 

V4 
2 

"'9' 

'"2 
4 
92 

"'e' 

13 

513 

'"e'oo 

4  55 

3 

20 

"'67' 
224 

3 
2 
14 
10 

14 
17 

1 
2 

1 

"'si' 

16 
10 
1 
g 

28 

"'2.3' 
1 

8 
5 
3 

"'25 

"'si' 

4 

8 

"'l9' 

411 
3 

220 
61 

'"4 

5 

66 

6 

8 
1 
2 
8 

43 
7 
5 

4  80 
6  79 
7  00 

'"123 

155 

208 
38 

"'e' 

226 
424 
23 
20 
190 

(a)  No  wages  giveii.    (b)  No  wages  given  for  392  piece-workers. 


150 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Table    No.    35.— WHAT    1,348    ESTABLISHMENTS    IN    MICHIGAN    ARE     PAYING    50,230 

FROM 


Industry. 

Number  of  establish- 
ments. 

Average  number 
women  employed 
daily. 

Wages  paid  per  week. 

Under 
$2.99. 

$3  and 
under 
53.99. 

$4  and 
under 
$4.99, 

$5  and 
under 
$5.99. 

$6  and 
under 
$6.99. 

$7  and 
under 
$7.99. 

$8  and 
under 

$8.99. 

Paints,  enamels,  varnish,  etc  
Railway  wrecking  devices  and  cranes  .  .  . 
Razor  strops 

3 

68 

12 
4 
2 

2 
2 
2 
1 
1 

1 
48 
1 

1 

1 

1 
4 
2 
2 

2 
1 
1 
2 

3 

1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

1 
1 
1 
3 
1 

1 
2 
1 
2 
1 
1 

167 
14 
25 
179 
41 

17 
29 
9,325 
87 
19 

169 
18 
93 
.     29 
8 

85 
6 
870 
189 
24 

79 
732 
807 
14 
118 

19 

3,945 
10 
280 
30 

38 
3 
1,225 
59 
73 

152 
23 
20 
30 
41 

13 

60 
65 
13 
43 

20 
9 
24 
373 

17 

22 
53 
20 
88 
70 
23 


49 

20 

33 

19 
1 
3 
34 
9 

'"2 
1,184 
21 
5 

26 
3 
23 

7 

8 
1 
109 
79 
2 

16 
126 

74 
6 
22 

"'302' 
1 
30 
4 

7 

"'ios' 

22 
3 

26 
6 
5 
1 
5 

1 
1 
11 

5 
11 

..... 

51 
1 

"'26' 

29 

"'289' 
14 

10 

4 
2 

"657' 
..... 

46 

7 

"ii? 

5 

3 

37 

2 
10 
946 
11 

5 
24 
15 

...„ 

1,276 
18 

4 
34 
2 

1 
1 
1,186 
10 
3 

11 
2 

8 

'"i 

4 

'"82 
19 
1 

13 
142 
19 

'"8 

'"750 

'"29 
1 

9 

"  '  148 
9 
4 

27 
8 
3 
-      6 

1 

Rules,  etc  
Railway  and  electrical  goods  

Reclining  chairs  \  
Rupture  appliances 

Stores  
Salt 

Silos  
Shade  rollers 

25 
3 

"'is' 

43 

"'ioe' 
11 

26 
10 
42 

7 

15 
1 
114 

8 

Screen  doors  and  windows  
Spectacles,  eye  glasses  and  mountings.  .  . 
Soda  ash  .*  
Shears  . 

Spark  plugs  and  porcelains  
Suspenders  and  belts  
Shoes  
Stationery  and  envelopes 

"-ii 
"'i? 

5 

2 
"'36 

Stoves,  ranges  and  furnaces  

Sheet  copper  and  steel  metal  
Silk  thread  and  fabrics  
Seed  growing 

3 
52 
112 

12 
102 
93 

21 
92 
406 

Sugar  
Shell,  felt  and  leather  novelties  

Salt  and  lumber  
Telephone  exchanges 

48 

4 
466 

"'98' 
10 

"'382' 
1 
45 

9 
6 

"'22' 

"'29' 
17 

28 

7 
641 
1 
57 
10 

4 

284 
1 
12 

21 
..... 

••y 
"  «V 

21 
2 
7 

20 

'"si 

196  i 
1 

"°g* 

"'ii' 
""i 

"'99' 

"'2' 

"'23' 

"'275' 

"'27 

2 

"'90' 

1 

Tailoring  
Tin  cans 

Trunks,  bags  and  cases  
Typewriters 

Tire  reinforcements  
Tobacco 

Toilet  articles  
Toothpicks  

Uniforms  

Upholstering  
Upholstered  rockers 

.  .  .  j.  .  . 

Vehicles  
Veneer  panels  and  flooring  

Wholesale  meats  and  meat  products  .... 
Washboards  and  wood  split  pulleys  
Watch  cases  
Wire  and  iron  products  
Wall  finish  etc 

""\1 
6 

2 
1 

'"7 

'"7 
2 

5 
B 
1 
1 
12 

1 

Wood  pulp  

"3" 

"'5' 
18 
4 

'"ii 

"'2' 

9 

7 
92 
2 

2 
17 
20 
10 
3 

Wooden  tubs  and  pails  
Wooden  ware  
Wooden  specialties  ,  .  . 

Wholesale  drygoods  
Wire  cloth  

Wiping  cloths  and  waste  
Woolen  cloth  :  
Woolen  cloth  and  garments  
Woolen  yarn  spinners  

17             19 
12             17 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


151 


\vu;i:-i:  YKXING  WOMEN  FOLLOWING  197  OCCUPATIONS,  AS  SHOWN  BY  RETURNS 

I :  Si  I'LOYERS.— Concluded. 


\\  ;ues  paid  per  week. 

Girls  under  16 
years  of  age. 

How  employed. 

.*•>  an.l 
under 
?9.99. 

$10  and 
under 
$10.99. 

$11  and 
under 
$11.99. 

$12  and 
under 
$12.99. 

$13  and 
under 
$13.99. 

$14  and 
over. 

Number 
em- 
ployed. 

Average 
'  wage. 

By  the 
month. 

By  the 
week. 

By  the 
day. 

By  the 
hour. 

By  the 
piece. 

17 
3 

> 
7 

11 
1 

'866 
7 

1 

10 

13 
2 

7 
1 

12 
2 

10 

15 
4 

6 

$592 

:> 
14 

159 

7 

4 

'"9 
131 

'"ie 

14 
3 

2 
915 
3 
2 

4 

..... 

..... 

280 
3 

5 

1 
1 

1 
1 
546 
o 

2 

3 

8 

"'4i 

5 
29 
7,754 
18 
18 

3 
18 
93 
19 

40 

1 

1 
132 

"3 
1 

"'4'lte' 

(a) 

12 

'"26 
69 

2 

1,006 
12 
2 

1 

277 
1 

"'751' 

"'527' 

280 

1 
3 

6 

5  54 

44 

119 

11 

3 

86 
41 
4 

6 
62 

58 

'"6 

"'52i' 
1 
21 

7 

"56 
5 

4 
26 

2 
3 
2 

'"2 
5 

'"•"»' 

5 
1 
2 
7 
5 
20 

4 

2 
4 

12 
2 

7  37 
5  50 

'"io 



6 

8 

"Y 
165 

7 

16 
232 
125 

'"3 
538 
147 

50 
481 
252 

a 

"'06' 

20 
I 

j 

51 
12 

""2" 

1 
421 
3 
9 

1 

.  4 

"'4i' 
5 

4 

12 

"'e' 

5 
2 

2 

"'4' 
1 
1 

1 

1 

. 

85 
1 
159 
13 

15 

3 
33 
7 
1 

45 
2 
3 

30 
1 
3 

1 
8 
2 

41 
3 
8 

3 
5 
12 
2 

15 
4 

2 
9 

5  70 
5  00 

5  40 
5  95 
4  32 

'"29 

'"9 

13 
8 
...„ 

30 
5 

1 
262 
3 

8 

7 
9 
6 
3 

3 
117 
1 
3 

9 
430 

'"23 

'"(>' 
5 

"2;043' 

95 

4 

2 

32 

1 
49 

"'is' 

"'6'97' 

10 
1,898 

5 
10 

3 

6 

14 

60 
10 

29 

216 
20 

7 

2 

3  50 

1 

1 
32 
1 

4 

"53 
3 
1 

5 

"*24 

1 

2 

2 

17 
3 

11 
2 

9 

l 

3 
263 
32 
2 

33 
4 

54 

5  66 

113 
"  17; 

883 
19 
27 

87 
14 
14 
8 
12 

'"is 

32 
5 
4 
3 
23 

3 

500 

12 

"Y 
i 

1 

2 

6 
2 

1 

1 
2 

6 
2 

5 
2 

18 
13 

"'4' 

8 

2 
"3 

5  33 

2 

58 
37 

28 
4 
16 

15 

'     3 

2 
24 

7 

5 

3 

5 
9 

6 

18 
259 

12 

1 
3 

5 

34 
1 

1 

80 

4 

3 

3 

•*• 

6 
21 

10 
"'42' 

6 

14 
16 

7 



14 
8 

5 
3 

2 

1 



3 

30 

42 
69 

18 

4 
5 

152 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


WAGE   RECAPITULATION   OF   EMPLOYERS7   RETURNS. 

690,  or  1.4%,  receive  less  than  |3  per  week. 
1,172,  or  2.3%,  receive  |3  to  $3.99  per  week. 

-  1,862,  or  3.7%,  receive  less  than  $4  per  week. 
2,986,  or  5.9%,  receive  $4  to  $4.99  per  week. 

-  4,848,  or  9.6%,  receive  less  than  $5  per  week. 
6,050,  or  12%,  receive  $5  to  $5.99  per  week. 

—  10,898,  or  21.7%,  receive  less  than  $6  per  week. 
8,025,  or  16%,  receive  $6  to  $6.99  per  week. 

—18,923,  or  37.6%,  receive  less  than  $7  per  week. 
6,887,  or  13.7%,  receive  $7  to  $7.99  per  week. 

25,810,  or  51.4%,  receive  less  than  $8  per  week. 

6,465,  or  12.8%,  receive  $8  to  $8.99  per  week. 

-  32,275,  or  64.2%,  receive  less  than  $9  per  week. 
4,851,  or  9.7%,  receive  $9  to  $9.99  per  week. 

-  37,126,  or  73.9%,  receive  less  than  $10  per  week. 

4,273,  or  8.5%,  receive  $10  to  $10.99  per  week. 

-  41,399,  or  82.4%,  receive  less  than  $11  per  week. 

2,092,  or  4.2%,  receive  $11  to  $11.99  per  week. 

-  43,491,  or  86.5%,  receive  less  than  $12  per  week. 
2,224,  or  4.4%,  receive  $12  to  $12.99  per  week. 

-  45,715,  or  91.1%,  receive  less  than  $13  per  week. 

1,168,  or  2.3%,  receive  $13  to  $13.99  per  week. 

-  46,883,  or  93.3%,  receive  less  than  $14  per  week. 

3,347,  or  6.7%,  receive  $14  per  week  and  over. 


Table  No.  30.— EMPLOYERS'  METHODS  OF  EMPLOYMENT  BY  NUMBER  AND  PERCENTAGE,  OF  50,622  WAGE- 
EARNING  WOMEN. 


How  employed. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

By  the  month   .   . 

3  929 

7  8 

By  the  week  

15  399 

30  4 

By  the  day  

2,232 

4.4 

By  the  hour  .   . 

9  508 

18  8 

By  the  piece  

19,554 

38  6 

Total                                                      .            

50  622 

100.0 

NOTE.— For  opinions  of  individual  employers  on  the  advisability  or  practicability  of  a  minimum  wage  law,  see  appendix  "G." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


153 


WAGES  PAID  50,230  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS,  AS  SHOWN  BY 
FIGURES  SUPPLIED  BY  1,348  ESTABLISHMENTS. 


/  0,898 
W-.9I2  or      or 21.7 


29.  7 


gre 


are 


paid  between 
and  ^8  her 


paid  less 

I  ji 


6  her 


wee 


A 


24. 420  or 


are 


er 


pa 
week  and  oven 


690  or 
,172  or 
,986  or 
,050  or 
;,025  or 
or 

,465  or 
,851  or 
T3or 
:,092  or 
2,224  or 
L,1G8  or 
3,347  or 


1.4  per  cent  receive  less  than  $3  per  week. 
2.3  per  cent  receive    $3  to    $3.99  per  week. 

5.9  per  cent  receive  $4  to  $4.99  per  week. 
12.0  per  cent  receive  $5  to  $5.99  per  week. 
16.0  per  cent  receive  $6  to  $6.99  per  week. 

13.7  per  cent  receive   $7  to    $7.99  per  week. 

12.8  per  cent  receive    $8  to    $8.99  per  week. 
9.7  per  cent  receive   $9  to    $9.99  per  week. 
8.5  per  cent  receive  $10  to  $10.99  per  week. 

4.2  per  cent  receive  $11  to  $11.99  per  week. 
4.4  per  cent  receive  $12  to  $12.99  per  week. 

2.3  per  cent  receive  $13  to  $13.99  per  week. 
6.7  per  cent  receive  $14  and  over  per  week. 


PART  V. 


INVESTIGATION  OF  PAY  KOLLS. 

Early  in  the  investigation  of  the  Minimum  Wage  inquiry  the  question 
arose  as  to  the  accuracy  of  the  figures  given  to  the  Commission's  in- 
vestigators by  the  wage-earning,  women  being  interrogated.  To  set  this 
matter  at  rest  it  was  thought  best  to  obtain  the  complete  pay  rolls  for 
a  year,  of  several  establishments  employing  a  considerable  number  of 
women,  especially  as  the  blanks  sent  in  by  employers  did  not  give  the 
yearly  wages  of  each  particular  employe,  but  only  the  wages  for  an 
average  week.  It  did  not  tell  whether  employes  worked  full  time  or  only 
part  of  the  time,  and  it  gave  no  hint  of  the  fact  of  the  remarkable  shift- 
ing of  employments  by  wage-earning  women  of  which  the  investigation 
was  already  giving  hints  and  which  the  pay  rolls  more  fully  disclosed. 

These  pay  rolls  involved  the  copying  of  something  like  23,945  weekly 
accounts  with  2,509  employes,  working  at  different  rates  and  under 
different  systems.  And  as  no  two  methods  of  bookkeeping  were  similar, 
the  expense  and  work  involved  was  more  than  had  been  anticipated. 
However,  the  facts  obtained  have  been  worth  the  trouble  in  settling  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  Commission  that  the  women  being  interrogated 
were  striving  hard  to  tell  the  exact  truth;  and  that  while  in  some  in- 
stances memory  was  at  fault,  by  careful  work  on  the  part  of  the  investi- 
gator® marked  discrepancies  could  be  obviated. 

To  be  still  more  sure  that  the  figures  given  by  the  women  interrogated 
were  substantially  correct,  the  investigators  in  some  instances  compared 
wage-earning  women's  figures  with  employers'  pay  rolls.  And  again  was 
the  fad  proved  1l»a(  Hie  figures  being  obtained  were  in  the  main  reliable. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


155 


Table  No.  37.— LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  OF  2,569  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  EMPLOYED  IN  SEVEN 
\BLISHMENTS  IN  ONE  YEAR,  AND  AVERAGING  418  WOMEN  EMPLOYED  EACH  DAY,  AS  SHOWN  BY 
THi:  PAY  ROLLS. 


Length  of  seivice. 

. 

number 

No 

Nature  of  establishments. 

employed 

4 

8 

13 

26 

39 

each 

Under 

weeks 

weeks 

weeks 

weeks 

weeks 

day. 

4 

and 

and 

and 

and 

and 

Full 

Total, 

weeks.* 

under 

under 

under 

under 

under 

year. 

8. 

13. 

26. 

39. 

52. 

1 

Store  

120 

1,397 

195 

114 

72 

29 

24 

16 

1,847 

2 

Paper  box  company  

127 

76 

43 

29 

62 

15 

20 

52 

303 

3 

Laundry  

GO 

45 

33 

34 

33 

24 

8 

3 

180 

4 

Paper  box  company  .  . 

40 

50 

7 

6 

19 

c 

24 

1 

113 

5 

Petticoats  

37 

2 

5 

3 

10 

5 

19 

11 

55 

fi 

Laundry..    .    . 

22 

5 

8 

2 

6 

8 

6 

6 

41 

7 

Core  workers 

6 

2 

1 

6 

6 

5 

6 

4 

30 

Total.. 

418 

1  577 

292 

194 

208 

92 

113 

93 

2  569 

1 

*Nine  hundred  forty-eight  of  these  were  employed  for  not  exceeding  a  week;  many  for  only  a  day  or  two. 

The  pay  rolls  copied  came  from  a  store,  two  laundries,  two  paper 
box  factories,  an  establishment  making  petticoats  and  a  foundry  em- 
ploying women  making  "cores."  These  seven  establishments  employed 
an  average  of  418  wage-earning  women  for  each  working  day  in  the 
year.  But  their  pay  rolls  contained  the  names  of  2,569  women  em- 
ployes. Of  these,  948  worked  in  the  store  a  week  or  less.  The  total 
number  working  in  these  seven  establishments  from  four  to  fifty-two 
weeks  were  992.  Only  9.22  per  cent  of  this  latter  number  worked  the 
full  year,  and  less  than  19  per  cent — 297  of  the  entire  number — worked 
six  months  or  more.  In  fact  61  per  cent  of  these  2,569  workers  left 
their  employment  within  four  weeks.  They  either  stopped  work  en- 
tirely, went  back  to  school,  or  sought  situations  elsewhere. 

As  it  was  impossible  to  follow  each  one  of  these  young  girls  ami 
women  to  their  homes  and  interrogate  them  as  to  the  reasons  for  their 
juitting  that  particular  employment,  the  Commission  sought  for  this 
ind  of  information  in  another  direction,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
>lerably  accurate  diagnosis.  That  1his  shifting  shows  a  waste  of 
y  on  I  he  part  of  women  wage-earners  is  not  to  be  gain-said,  for 
iciency  cannot  be  mastered  by  those  continually  shifting  employments. 


156 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


Table  No.  38— LENGTH  OF  SERVICE  OF  2,569  EMPLOYES  IN  SEVEN  ESTABLISHMENTS  AS  SHOWN  BY  THEIR 

PAY  ROLLS. 


'  Length  of  service. 


Per  cent. 


Employes  working  full  year 

Employes  working  39  and  under  52  weeks .  . 
Employes  working  26  and  under  39  weeks . . 
Employes  working  13  and  under  26  weeks. . 
Employes  working  8  and  under  13  weeks. . . 

Employes  working  4  and  under  8  weeks 

Employes  working  under  4  weeks 


5.68 
6.84 
5.68 
13.20 
11.54 
19.24 
37.82 


Total . 


100.00 


The  seven  establishments  distributed  in  the  year  among  the  992  em- 
ployes who  worked:  longer  than  four  weeks,  $127,131.83.  This  is  an 
average  of  $128.15  apiece.  The  948  employes  working  a  week  and  less 
were  paid  on  an  average  of  $1.65  for  their  services.  Were  it  not  that 
so  many  found  employment  elsewhere,  for  longer  or  shorter  periods, 
only  a  small  number  of  them  could  have  lived  on  the  wages  they  received 
from  these  seven  establishments.  -  In  the  case  of  the  short  term  sales- 
women it  is  evident  that  a  large  proportion  worked  only  during  the 
holidays.  Some  were  school  girls,  and  the  few  dollars  earned  in  this 
way  enabled  them  to  at  least  make  their  accustomed  Christmas  presents. 

Table  No.  39— TOTAL  AND  AVERAGE  PAY  OF  2,569  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN,  AND  HOURS  OF 
LABOR  IN  SEVEN  MICHIGAN  ESTABLISHMENTS  AS  SHOWN  BY  PAY  ROLLS  FOR  AN  ENTIRE  YEAR. 


No. 

1 

2 
3 

4 

5 
6 

7 

Nature  of  establishment. 

Total 
number 
employed. 

Average 
length 
of  em- 
ployment, 

(weeks) 

Total 
earnings. 

Average 
weekly 
earnings. 

Hours  of  labor. 

Per  week. 

+- 
1 
& 

i 

Store                                                     

*  1,847 
303 
180 
113 
55 
41 
30 

13.5 
26 
18 
29.4 
34.3 
28.9 
30 

$38,153  42 
30,213  30 
10,192  86 
11,521  01 
16,151  12 
8,511  76 
6,388  36 

$6  24 
5  07 
6  05 
6  20 
8  54 
8  17 
7  81 

51.5 
54 
54 
54 
50 
54 
54 

8.5 
10 
9 
10 
9 
9 
10 

9 
4 
9 
4 
5 
9 
4 

Paper  box  company  
Laundry 

Paper  box  company  
Petticoats  

Laundry.              

Core  workers  

Total  

2,569 

$127,131  83 

t  Excepting  Saturdays. 

*  Nine  hundred  forty-eight  of  these  worked  only  a  week  or  less,  and  1,397  were  employed  under  four  weeks.    They  are  not 
included  in  the  average  length  of  employment  or  used  to  make  the  average  weekly  earnings. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


157 


As  can  be  seen,  wages  average  in  one  establishment  as  low  as  $5.07 
per  week,  and  in  another  establishment  as  high  as  $8.54  per  week.  One 
is  a  paper  box  factory,  the  other  is  a  factory  making  petticoats.  One 
employs  practically  unskilled  labor,  the  other  employs  skilled  workers. 

It  is  also  to  be  observed,  as  shown  by  an  accompanying  table,  that 
G7  per  cent  of  these  workers  received  less  than  $6  per  week,  and  that 
88  per  cent  received  less  than  $8  per  week.  This  is  a  lower  wage  show- 
ing than  found  in  the  wage  figures  furnished  by  1,348  employers  of 
50,230  wage-earning  women.  The  difference  can  be  accounted  for  from 
Hie  fact  that  the  figures  from  employers'  blanks  Avere  of  average  weeks, 
while  the  figures  from  the  pay  rolls  suffered  from  deductions  because 
of  lost  time  through  slack  work,  sickness  or  from  any  other  cause. 


Table  No.  40.— AVERAGE  WEEKLY  EARNINGS  OF  992  MICHIGAN  WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  AS  SHOWN  BY 

SEVEN  ANNUAL  PAY  ROLLS. 


No. 

Nature  of  establish- 
ment. 

Total 
Num- 
ber. 

Those  receiving  per  week  — 

Under  $5. 

$5  and 
under  $6. 

$6  and 
under  $7. 

$7  and 
.  under  $8. 

$8  and 
under  $10. 

$10 
ov 

Num- 
ber. 

and 
er. 

Per 

cent. 

Num- 
ber. 

Per 

cent. 

Num- 
ber. 

Per 
cent. 

Num- 
ber. 

Per 
cent. 

Num- 
ber. 

Per 
cent. 

Num- 
ber. 

Per 

cent. 

Store 

450 
227 
135 
63 
53 
36 
27 

222 
110 
22 
32 

2 
9 

49.3 

48.4 
16.3 
50.8 

5.6 
33.3 

162 
43 
42 
13 
8 
3 
3 

36.0 
18.9 
31.1 
20.6 
15.1 
8.3 
11.1 

43 
29 
39 
8 
4 
6 
3 

9.6 
12.8 
28.9 
12.7 
7.6 
16.7 
l!.l 

5 
19 

20 
2 
12 
14 
1 

1.1 
8.4 
14.8 
3.2 
22.6 
38.9 
3.7 

8 
22 
9 
6 
17 
8 
9 

1.8 
9.7 
6.7 
9.5 
32.1 
22.2 
33.3 

10 
4 
3 
2 
12 
3 
2 

2.2 
1.8 
2.2 
3.2 
22.6 
8.3 
7.4 

Paper  box  company  . 
Laundry 

Paper  box  company  . 
Petticoats  

Laundry 

Core  workers  

Total 

992 

398 

40.0 

274 

27.6 

132 

13.4 

73 

7.3 

79 

8.0 

36 

3.6 

The  wages  of  the  1,577  women  who  were  employed  in  these  establishments  for  less  than  four  weeks  are  not  included  in  these 
figures. 

Why  these  wage-earning  women  are  able  to  live  at  all,  is  because  so 
many  of  them  live  at  home,  or  receive  financial  assistance  from  others. 
This  matter  is  fully  treated  in  another  part  of  this  report. 

Had  the  Commission  gone  no  further  than  these  pay  rolls,  the  fact 
would  have  been  established  that  a  very  large  percentage  of  the  wage- 
earning  women  of  the  State  are  receiving  less  for  their  services  than 
it  costs  them  to  live.  Whether  this  is  the  worker's  own  fault,  the  fault 
of  her  family,  the  fault  of  employers  or  of  the  State,  is  a  matter  for  pro- 
found consideration. 


PART  VI. 

WHAT  57  MICHIGAN  WOMEN'S  CLUBS  CONSIDER  A  PROPER 
MINIMUM  WAGE  FOR  SELF-SUPPORTING  WOMEN. 

In  the  endeavor  to  exploit  all  possible  sources  of  information,  the 
Minimum  Wage  Commission  asked  the  Women's  Clubs  of  the  State  for 
expressions  of  opinion  as  to  the  sum  needed  to  properly  support  a  wage- 
earning  woman.  Each  club  was  requested  to  fill  out  an  accompanying 
blank,  showing  how  a  minimum  wage  would  probably  be  expended. 

While  the  replies  from  Women's  Clubs  were  not  as  numerous  as  the 
Commission  would  have  liked,  yet  the  figures  furnished  are  valuable; 
for  in  the  main  they  are  estimates  by  that  class  in  the  community  which 
do  most  of  the  family  purchasing,  both  of  the  necessaries  and  luxuries 
of  life,  and  who  hold  within  their  ranks  the  real  economists  of  the  na- 
tion. Some  women  are  spendthrifts,  but  as  a  rule  these  do  not  belong 
to  Women's  Clubs. 

That  the  figures  should  vary  from  $5.75  to  $15  a  week  for  a  minimum 
wage,  and  from  $292  to  $770  for  yearly  expenses,  is  not  remarkable. 
One  club  had  in  view  the  barest  necessities,  the  other  commanded  a 
wider  horizon,  and  based  its  figures  more  on  an  "American"  rate  of  life 
— a  rate  which  demands  liberal  expenditures  for  rest  and  recreation  and 
for  upbuilding  surroundings.  Most  of  the  Clubs  gravitate  between  $7 
and  $9  for  the  needed  weekly  wage,  and  between  $400  and  $500  for  the 
total  yearly  expenses.  The  fact  that  so  many  women  do  live  on  less 
than  this  weekly  wrage  i®  to  many,  prima  facie  evidence  of  its  reason- 
ableness. 

The  Twentieth  Century  Club,  of  Albion,  presented  a  divided  member- 
ship on  both  the  problem  of  a  minimum  wage  and  its  expenditure.  So 
18  members  filled  out  separate  blanks,  with  weekly  minimum  wage  figures 
ranging  from  $8  to  $12.50,  and  yearly  expenses  from  $438.40  to  $641.50. 
Member  No.  13,  who  thinks  that  $9  a  week  is  a  proper  minimum  wage, 
and  $475  a  year  not  too  much  to  spend  for  living  expenses  by  a  self-sus- 
taining wage-earning  woman,  says: 

"The  estimates  made  by  me  would  seem  about;  fair,  for 
anyone  working  in  a  city  the  size  of  Albion,  a  city  of  8,000 
inhabitants;  and  though  allowing  nothing  to  be  "laid  by," 
would,  I  should  think,  with  fairly  good  management,  keep  a 
normally  healthy  girl  neatly  and  comfortably  clothed,  and 
also  furnish  her  with  a  pleasant  room  and  ordinarily  good 
board;  also  with  a  very  reasonable  amount  of  expense  for 
recreation  and  the  means  of  obtaining  knowledge." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  159 

The  Midland  Monday  Club,  with  its  low  estimate  of  $5.75  a  week  for  a 
minimum  wage  and  $292  a  year  for  expenses,  sends  the  following  ex- 
planation : 

"In  our  city  there  are  very  few  who  do  not  either  live  at 
home  or  with  friends,  and  so  can  live  on  the  wages  they 
get.  The  board  is  estimated  low,  but  could  be  obtained 
for  $3  and  $3.50  with  friends,  (some  get  it  lower  with 
friends)  or  in  private  families,  but  at  the  regular  high  class 
boarding  houses  board  and  room  cost  $5. 

The  teachers  with  their  •  salaries  find  it  hard  to  save 
enough  to  keep  them  through  the  summer.  One  of  our 
members  says  she  has  known  of  a  girl  who  supports  herself 
entirely  on  $5  per  week,  but  the  opinion  of  the  majority  is 
that  it  cannot  be  done  respectably,  though  it  makes  a  dif- 
ference how  well  they  have  to  dress  and  whether  they  have 
time  outside  working  hours  and  try  to  economize  and  help 
themselves  (laundry  work  and  sewing)." 

The  circular  letter  of  the  Commission  to  the  Columbian  Woman's  Club 
of  Flint,  to  fill  out  the  blank,  was  referred  to  the  Industrial  Committee 
of  the  Club,  consisting  of  Mrs.  M.  J.  Lamb,  Mrs.  F.  A.  Scott,  and  Emily 
E.  West,  chairman.  The  day  the  committee  reported,  there  were  only 
22  members  present,  it  being  stormy  weather.  Three  of  these  were  not 
members,  and  did  not  express  an  opinion.  Fifteen  concurred  in  the  re- 
port, and  one  said  she  would  concur  if  the  minimum  wage  was  fixed  at 
$8  a  week.  One  did  not  vote  either  way,  but  has  since  voluntarily  ex- 
pressed her  approval.  Accompanying  the  filled  blank  were  the  follow- 
ing remarks: 

"Your  committee,  in  fixing  the  figures  called  for  took  the 
following  into  consideration :  A  minimum  wage  would 
naturally  be  that  paid  to  an  unskilled  person — the  equiva- 
lent of  a  sixteen  year  old  girl  who  leaves  school  to  earn  a 
living  independent  of  assistance  from  home.  It  should  pro- 
vide necessities — not  luxuries — wholesome  food,  decent 
surrounding,  clothing  suitable  to  occupation,  and  oppor- 
tunity for  improvement. 

A  girl  can  obtain  plain,  wholesome  fare  and  comfortable 
room  in  a  respectable  home  for  $4.50  but  perhaps  to  get 
the  best  at  that  price  might  have  to  share  her  room  with 
another  girl. 

The  dress  allowance  would  vary  with  occupation  but  the 
committee  held  in  mind  the  girl  or  woman  whose  occupation 
required  her  to  look  well  dollied  in  working  hours. 

The  items  are  as  follows: 


160  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

Two  suits  ($15  and  $12) $27  00    These  should  last  more  than  one  year. 

Two  skirts  (1  white,  1  colored) 2  00    These  purchased  each  year  should  furnish  a  comfortable  stock  as 

they  should  last  more  than  one  year. 

Four  corset  covers 1  00 

Three  pair  cotton  stockings 

Three  pair  heavier  stockings 1  00 

Three  suits  summer  underwear 1  50 

Three  suits  winter  underwear,  one-half  $3 1  50    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

Three  underskirts,  one-half  $3 1  50    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

Three  night  dresses,  one-half  $3 1  50    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

One  corset 1  00    A  fleshy  person  might  require  more. 

Two  cotton  dresses,  one-half  $5 2  50    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

Two  shirt  waists,  one-half  $2 1  00    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

Aprons 50 

One  umbrella,  one-half  $3 1  50    Should  last  two  years  or  more. 

Miscellaneous 6  25 

$52  00 

The  suit  allowance  is  liberal.  If  judiciously  chosen  and 
cared  for,  two  suits  per  year  would,  by  the  second  year 
divide  the  wear  among  four  suits. 

The  figures  provide  only  plain  underwear,  but  could  be 
considerably  cut  if  the  girl  employed  one  half  her  leisure  in 
making  the  articles,  or  they  might  be  ornamented  with  lace 
or  embroidery  on  the  amount  so  saved. 

The  same  would  apply  to  shirt  waists  and  cotton  dresses. 
The  life  of  these  garments  by  care  and  judgment  in  the  se- 
lection of  material  could  be  prolonged  beyond  the  time  fixed 
and  thus  provide  for  the  accumulation  of  a  larger  stock. 

Twenty-five  cents  per  week  allowance  for  church,  so- 
cieties, etc.,  will  permit  membership  in  Y.  W.  C.  A.  and 
attendance  on  some  of  the  various  classes  for  which  a  fee 
is  charged,  while  it  also  contributes  to  the  recreation  item 
for  which  a  smaller  amount  is  allowed.  Ten  cents  per  week 
provide  for  the  daily  newspaper  and  a  magazine. 

In  Flint  the  greater  proportion  of  the  working  popula- 
tion can  walk  to  and  from  their  work.  For  those  who  can 
not  do  so  60  cents  would  be  the  least  weekly  allowance  as 
fares  here  are  five  cents  straight. 

No  allowance  has  been  made  for  incidentals  or  for  savings. 
Increased  efficiency  with  greater  earning  power  might  be 
counted  as  the  only  gain  for  the  first  year,  and  thereafter 
the  extra  wages  earned  could  be  used  to  accumulate  a  fund 
for  savings,  insurance,  etc. 

If  the  girl  starts  with  average  health,  keeps  good  hours 
and  cares  for  herself  properly,  the  allowance  for  medical 
and  dental  service  should  accumulate  to  meet  expenses  in 
misfortune  as  to  health. 

This  report  makes  no  allowance  for  lost  time.  To  main- 
tain herself  on  $7.80  per  week,  the  wage-earning  woman 
must  have  work  continuously  during  the  year." 

The  amounts  set  apart  for  "other  items,"  loom  large  in  some  of  these 
estimates.  One  reason  is  that  quite  a  number  thought  a  "vacation"  a 
necessary  expense.  One  member  who  allowed  only  $20  for  incidentals, 
said  that  this  was  "for  a  vacation  trip  so  much  needed  by  a  woman  who 
works  for  her  living;"  and  another  allowed  $26  a  year  for  incidentals, 
saying  it  should  go  for  a  vacation,  "which  means  a  change  from  the 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  161 

every  day  grind."  For  others  the  "incidentals"  stand  for  toilet  ar- 
ticles, life  insurance,  stationery,  Christmas  presents,  a  dollar  a  week 
for  a  building  and  loan  association,  and  even  something  for  "corset 
strings." 

No  attempt  has  been  made  to  work  out  percentages  or  averages  on 
these  figures.  As  will  be  noted,  the  clubs  are  well  scattered  throughout 
the  State,  and  with  such  housing  conditions  that  no  consistent  "average" 
could  be  obtained.  Besides,  the  social  status  of  wage-earning  women 
vary  with  environment  and  nationality,  the  saleswoman  in  one  com- 
munity being  social  equals  of  the  best,  and  in  another  being  of  little 
social  account.  And  this  is  true,  in  still  greater  degree,  of  factory 
women. 

The  Commission  regrets  that  a  larger  number  of  the  Women's  Clubs  of 
Michigan  did  not  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  express  their 
views  on  what  they  believe  is  the  least  on  which  a  self-supporting  and 
self-respecting  woman  can  live  in  their  respective  communities;  but  the 
Commission  thanks  the  62  Clubs  who  have  aided  in  the  attempt  to  ar- 
rive at  a  reasonable  conclusion. 
21 


162 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


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MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


165 


STATISTICS    FROM     WAGE-EARNING     WOMEN. 

Some  nf  llif  Women's  Clubs,  whose  aid  was  sought  by  the  Commission,, 
endeavored  to  obtain  from  the  wage-earning  women  in  their  vicinity 
properly  filled  blanks,  but  1hey  were  not  so  successful  as  were  the  in- 
vest igainrs  employed  by  the  Commission.  The  information,  however,  in 
no  wise  runs  counter  to  that  obtained  through  regular  channels.  As  is 
natural,  the  wage  rates  run  under  the  averages  furnished  by  employers. 
Summarized,  the  information  concerns  154  women  wage-earners  living 
in  1-  localities  and  following  27  occupations ;  from  office  clerks  and  tele- 
phone operators  to  factory  employes. 


Table  No.  43.-STATISTICAL  INFORMATION  FURNISHED  BY  WOMEN'S  CLUBS  IN  TWELVE  LOCALITIES  OF 

154  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS. 


Character  of  information. 


Number. 


Per  cent. 


American-born  (149  reporting) 141  94. 

Foreign-born  (149  reporting) 8  5.4 

American  parentage  (143  reporting) 96  67. ; 

Foreign  parentage  (143  reporting) 47  32.9 

Living  at  home 120  77 . 9 

Paying  board  at  home 54  45 . 0 

Adrift 34  22.1 

Helped  by  others 3  1.9 

Receiving  under  $6  a  week  (138  reporting) 48  34. 

Receiving  $6  and  under  $8  a  week  (138  reporting) 51  36.9 

Receiving  under  S8  a  week  (138  reporting) 99  71.7 

Receiving  $8  and  under  $10  a  week  (138  reporting) 19  13.8 

Receiving  $10  and  over  (138  reporting) 20  14.5 

Single  (149  reporting) 122  81  .i 

Married  (149  reporting) 18  12. 1 

Widowed,  divorced  or  separated  (149  reporting) 9  6.0 

Weekly  earnings  of  138  reporting $981  67 

Average  weekly  earnings 711 

Expenditures,  board 310 

Expenditures,  clothes 2  10 

Other  expenditures ...  98 


COMMENTS    OF    WOMEN     WAGE-EARNERS. 

A  i'ew  of  the  blanks,  filled,  without  aid,  by  the  women  wage  -earners 
approached  by  members  of  Michigan  Women's  Clubs,  made  comments  on 
the  advisability  of  having  a  minimum  wage,  on  the  cost  of  living  and  on 
their  own  individual  work  and  home  environment.  They  help  to  shed 
light  on  the  problem. 


166  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

"If  a  girl  had  to  support  herself  without  any  help,  I  think  fS  a  week 
would  be  the  least  she  could  support  herself  on  in  this  locality." 

"This  is  a  splendid  plan  for  a  working  girl." 

"I  do  not  need  a  minimum  wage  as  I  live  at  home,  but  many  others 
do." 

"The  majority  of  working  girls  in  this  town  do  not  earn  enough  if 
they  had  board  to  pay  away  from  home,  to  keep  them  alive.  I  hope 
that  something  will  be  done,  so  that  a  working  girl  will  be  able  to  sup- 
port herself,  and  not  have  to  depend  on  her  parents." 

"I  am  in  favor  of  a  minimum  wage  being  adopted  in  Michigan.  Ad- 
vancement from  this  wrage  should  be  made  in  accordance  with  experi- 
ence and  ability." 

"On  the  wages  I  get  I  cannot  afford  to  have  the  dentist  work  done 
that  should  be  done." 

"I  could  not  clothe  myself  if  I  had  to  pay  board,  and  not  many  work- 
ing girls  in  this  town  could." 

"The  $6  a  week  I  receive  would  not  meet  my  expenses  if  I  were  not 
getting  my  board  cheap  at  home,  and  was  not  in  good  health  the  year 
through." 

"My  pay  is  not  enough  for  the  work,  according  to  the  high  cost  of 
living." 

"If  I  should  need  a  doctor,  mother  would  have  to  help  me." 


PART  VII. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  TO  DATE. 


Minimum  wage  legislation  is  not  a  new  idea  thrust  upon  American 
industries  without  warning.  As  far  back  as  1882  an  agitation  was  begun 
in  Australia  against  the  evils  of  the  "sweating"  system.  This  culminated 
later  in  the  passage  of  minimum  wage  laws.  In  the  attempt  to  protect 
wage  workers  against  insanitary  shops  and  long  hours,  the  idea  of  mini- 
mum wage  boards  began  to  take  form. 

Two  different  types  of  laws  were  passed.  The  first,  initiated  in  New 
Zealand  in  1894,  was  aimed  primarily  at  the  settlement  of  trade  dis- 
putes, such  as  lockouts,  strikes,  hours  of  labor,  rates  of  wages  and  con- 
ditions of  work.  The  other  type  initiated  in  Victoria  in  1896,  was  in 
continuance  of  the  fight  against  the  sweating  system  in  certain  indus- 
tries and  was  extended  to  include  underpaid  labor  as  well  as  unhealthful 
working  conditions  and  exhausting  hours  of  toil. 

Both  New  Zealand  and  the  commonwealths  of  Australia  have  borrowed 
ideas  from  each  other  in  dealing  with  working  conditions,  until  in  most 
of  the  Australasian  states  a  flat  rate  minimum  wage  is  established  by 
law.  The  rate  is  reported  to  be  low,  being  mainly  intended  to  protect 
children,  learners  and  apprentices. 

In  the  beginning  Victoria's  wage  legislation  affected  only  four  trades, 
but  in  1900  the  government  brought  in  a  bill  to  provide  for  the  extension 
of  the  wage  board  system  to  other  trades.  This  brought  a  storm  of  pro- 
tests from  the  Victorian  Chamber  of  Manufacturers.  The  government, 
however,  was  able  to  show  that  it  had  received  applications  from  em- 
ployers of  various  trades  for  the  appointment  of  boards.  As  it  was  ad- 
mitted in  the  debates  that  sweating  had  disappeared  in  the  trades  in 
which  wage  boards  had  been  established,  the  opposition  was  defeated. 
Now  considerably  more  than  a  hundred  trades  in  Australia  have  their 
minimum  wages  regulated  in  this  way. 

New  Zealand  wage  regulation  is  aimed  primarily  at  the  settlement  of 
wage  disputes.  It  operates  through  a  permanent  industrial  commis- 
sioner provided  for  each  industrial  district,  to  whom  requests  may  be 
sent  for  intervention  in  any  dispute.  It  encourages  the  formation  of 
labor  organizations,  in  order  that  the  workers  may  be  properly  repre- 
sented on  boards,  and  who  make  agreements  with  employers  as  to  what 


168 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


shall  be  the  minimum  wage,  much  as  do  American  labor  organizations 
today. 

England  first  passed  a  trade  boards  act  in  1909.  In  the  beginning  it 
affected  only  four  trades :  Keady-made  tailoring,  cardboard  box  making, 
chain  making  and  certain  processes  in  lace  finishing.  At  each  session  of 
parliament,  since,  the  number  of  occupations  brought  under  its  jurisdic- 
tion has  been  increased. 

In  1911  Germany  followed  the  example  of  Australia  and  England  in 
legislating  against  harmful  working  conditions.  Home  trade  committees 
are  appointed  having  in  their  membership  both  employers  and  employes, 
and  they  are  given  rather  vague  powers  to  collect  information  as  to 
home  conditions,  "and  make  proposals  for  procuring  agreements  for  rea- 
sonable remuneration." 

(  Mne  states  of  the  Union  now  have  minimum  wage  laws.  These  affect 
only  women  and  minors.  The  Utah  law  affects  "females."  The  substan- 
tiative  features  of  these  are,  in  the  order  of  their  passage,  as  follows, 
but  Utah  was  the  first  state  to  put  the  minimum  wage  law  for  women 
into  effect: 


State. 

In  effect. 

Wage  determination. 

Penalty. 

Massachusetts.. 

Mar.  21,  1913 

Necessary  cost  of  living  and  financial  condition  of  occupa- 
tion   

Publicity. 

Utah 

May  13  1913 

Experienced  adults  $1  25 

M  isdemeanor  . 

Oregon 

June    2,  1913 

Necessary  cost  of  living 

Fine  or  imprisonment  or  both. 

Washington 

June  13,  1913 

Necessary  cost  of  living  .                

Fine. 

Minnesota  
Nebraska 

June  26,  1913 
July  17  1913 

Wages  sufficient  to  maintain  worker  in  health  .f  
Necessary  cost  of  living 

Fine  or  imprisonment. 
Publicity. 

Wisconsin 

Aug.    1,  1913 

A  wage  sufficient  to  maintain  health 

Fine. 

California.  .  .  . 

Aug.  10,  1913 

Necessary  cost  of  proper  living      

Fine  or  imprisonment  or  both. 

Colorado  

Aug.  12,  1913 

Necessary  cost  of  living  and  financial  condition  of  business.  . 

Fine  or  imprisonment  or  both. 

The  Massachusetts  minimum  wage  law,  as  the  first  to  be  enacted,  is 
naturally  serving  as  the  foundation  for  most  minimum  wage  legislation 
in  America.  A  Commission  of  three  members,  one  of  them  a  woman, 
with  the  aid  of  subordinate  wage  boards  composed  of  an  equal  number 
of  employers  and  employes,  with  the  addition  of  a  member  or  two  se- 
lected by  the  Commission  to  represent  the  consuming  public,  is  given 
authority  to  say  what  a  minimum  wage  in  any  particular  industry  in- 
vestigated may  be.  In  Massachusetts  there  is  no  coercive  power  back  of 
these  decisions;  publicity  is  relied  on  to  enforce  the  finding.  Thus  far 
there  has  been  but  one  decision  made  by  a  Massachusetts  wage  board — 
the  brush  industry — and  the  Massachusetts  Minimum  Wage  Commission 
states  that  employers  are  co-operating  with  the  Commission  in  living  up 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  169 

to  its  decision.  The  Commission  is  authorized  to  publish  throughout  the 
State  the  findings  of  a  board,  and  any  newspaper  refusing  publication 
may  be  fined. 

The  Oregon  minimum  wage  law,  generally  spoken  of  by  welfare  work- 
ers as  the  most  satisfactory  one  on  the  statute  books,  does  not  provide 
for  wage  boards.  An'  "Industrial  Welfare  Commission"  is  authorized  to 
ascertain  standards  of  hours  of  employment  for  women  and  minors, 
standards  of  conditions  of  labor,  standards  of  minimum  wages  and 
working  environments.  It  may  call  and  convene  a  "conference"  of  em- 
ployers and  employes,  the  membership  of  which  is  under  its  direct  con- 
trol, to  talk  over  industrial  conditions,  after  which  the  Commission  pub- 
lishes its  findings  and  may  enforce  them  even  to  the  extent  of  fine  and 
imprisonment,  or  both.  (The  Oregon  Supreme  Court  has  declared  this 
law  constitutional.) 

There  is  considerable  variation  in  the  personnel  and  compensation  of 
these  Commissions  and  Commissioners.  Most  of  the  Commissions  are 
composed  of  three  persons;  in  four  instances  one  of  these  persons  must 
be  a  woman ;  in  another  instance  the  secretary  must  be  a  woman.  The 
appropriations  for  the  expenses  of  these  Commissions  vary  from  $15,000 
a  year,  as  in  California,  to  |7,000  in  Massachusetts,  $5,000  in  Colorado 
and  Minnesota,  $3,500  in  Oregon,  to  nothing,  as  in  Nebraska.  The  Com- 
missioners in  California  and  Massachusetts  draw  $10  a  day  while  in  the 
performance  of  their  official  duties,  in  addition  to  traveling  and  other 
necessary  expenses.  In  Oregon  only  the  expenses  of  the  Commissioners 
are  provided  for.  In  Utah  the  work  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  Com- 
missioner of  Immigration,  Labor  and  Statistics. 

There  is  as  yet  no  agreement  as  to  the  proper  name  for  such  a  Com- 
mission. In  three  instances  only,  is  "Minimum  Wage  Commission"  used. 
In  two  states  it  is  called  "Industrial  Welfare  Commission."  Once  it 
is  designated  as  "State  Wage  Board."  In  another  "Industrial  Commis- 
sion" answers  the  purpose. 

All  the  States,  with  the  exception  of  Oregon,  make  exceptions  for  de- 
fectives. In  Massachusetts  the  special  license  is  limited  to  ten  per  cent 
>f  the  employes  in  any  establishment.  For  California  the  special  license 

renewable  semi-annually. 

Two  States — California  and  Colorado — make  no  exceptions  for  learn- 
Four  States  provide  special  rates  for  learners  and  apprentices.  One 
>tate  requires  a  special  license,  but  the  time  limit  is  left  to  the  Com- 
lission.  Another  State  says  that  "minors  in  a  trade  industry  must  be 
indentured." 

Utah's  minimum  wage  law  settles  the  rates  for  both  experienced 
workers  and  learners.  It  provides  that  experienced  adults  must  be  paid 


170  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

at  least  $1.25  a  day;  females  under  18,  75  cents  a  day;  adult  learners 
and  apprentices,  90  cents  a  day. 

Besides  these  laws,  Connecticut  has  ordered  the  Commissioner  of 
Labor  to  make  an  investigation  of  woman  and  child  labor,  and  the  Indus- 
trial Commission  of  Ohio  is  ordered  to  make  a  special  inquiry  into  the 
work  of  women  and  children  in  mercantile  establishments.  Also,  in  In- 
diana, a  wage  commission  is  investigating  industrial  conditions  in  that 
commonwealth;  and  in  New  York  a  Factory  Investigating  Commission 
is  doing  likewise.  This  Commission  has  already  issued  four  reports.  ) 


PART  VIII. 

COURT  DECISIONS  ON  THE  CONSTITUTIONALITY  OF  MINIMUM 

WAGE  LEGISLATION. 


There  has  been  but  one  decision  "by  a  state  court  of  last  resort,  and 
none  by  any  federal  court,  upon  the  constitutionality  of  a  minimum  wage 
law. 

The  Supreme  Court  of  Oregon,  in  a  well  seasoned  opinion,  upheld  the 
Oregon  Act. 

Later,  a  judge  of  an  inferior  court,  the  state  district  court,  at  Minne- 
apolis, declared  the  Minnesota  Act  invalid.  Upon  application,  however, 
the  Commission  was  unable  to  obtain  the  opinion,  and  was  reliably  in- 
formed that  the  learned  judge  gave  no  reason  for  so  holding. 

The  Oregon  decision,  reported  in  139  Pacific  Reporter  and  which  has 
been  taken  to  and  is  now  pending  in  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  as 
involving  questions  under  the  federal  constitution,  is  herewith  given  in 
full. 


STETTLER  v.   O'HARA  et  al.,   Industrial  Welfare  Commission. 
(Supreme  Court  of  Oregon.     March   17,   1914.) 

1.  Constitutional  Law  (Sec.  81) — "Police  Power." 

Police  power  is  that  inherent  sovereignty  which  it  is  the  right  and  duty  of  the 
government  or  its  agents  to  exercise,  whenever  public  policy  demands,  for  the 
benefit  of  society  at  large,  regulations  to  guard  its  morals,  safety,  health,  order, 
or  to  insure  in  any  respect  such  economic  conditions  as  an  advancing  civilization 
of  a  highly  complex  character  requires. 

(Ed.  Note. — For  other  cases,  see  Constitutional  Law,  Cent.  Dig.  Sec.  148;  Dec. 
Dig.  Sec.  81. 

For  other  definitions,  see  Words  and  Phrases,  vol.  6,  pp.  5424-5438;  vol.  8, 
p.  7756.) 

2.  Master  and  Servant  (Sees.  13,  69) — Regulation  of  Employment — Police  Power. 
Laws  1913,  p.  92,  providing  for  an  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  to  provide  for 

the  fixing  of  minimum  wages  and  maximum  hours  of  labor  for  women  and  minor 
workers,  since  it  reasonably  tends  to  accomplish  the  purpose  intended,  is  within 
the  police  power  of  the  state. 

(Ed.  Note.— For  other  cases,  see  Master  and  Servant,  Cent.  Dig.  Sees.  14,  78-81; 
Dec.  Dig.  Sees.  13,69.) 

3.  Constitutional    Law    (Sec.    238) — Equal    Protection    of    Laws — Regulation    of 

Employment. 

Though  an  order  of  the  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  created  by  Laws  1913, 
page  92,  fixes  maximum  hours  and  minimum  wages  of  women  for  the  city  of 
Portland  only,  the  law  is  state-wide,  and  does  not  give  an  employer  in  Portland 
unequal  protection  of  the  law. 


172  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

(Ed.  Note.— For  other  cases,  see  Constitutional  Law,  Cent  Dig.  Sees.  688-690, 
695,  706-708;  Dec.  Dig.  Sec.  238.) 

4.  Constitutional  Law   (Sec.  205) — Class  Legislation— Privileges  and  Immunities 

of  Citizens. 

That  an  order  of  the  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  fixing  minimum  wages  and 
maximum  hours  of  labor  for  women,  as  authorized  by  Laws  1913,  p.  92,  applies 
only  to  Portland  does  not  grant  to  others  privileges  denied  to  an  employer  in 
Portland  in  contravention  of  Const.  Art.  1,  Sec.  20. 

(Ed.  Note. — For  other  cases,  see  Constitutional  Law,  Cent.  Dig.  Sees.  591-624; 
Dec.  Dig.  Sec.  205.) 

5.  Constitutional   Law   (Sec.   62) — Distribution   of  Governmental  Power— Delega- 

tion of  Legislative  Power. 

Laws  1913,  p.  92,  authorizing  the  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  to  fix  minimum 
wages  and  maximum  hours  of  labor  for  women  and  minor  workers  after  confer- 
ence with  representatives  of  employers  and  employes,  does  not  delegate  legislative 
power  to  the  commission. 

(Ed.  Note. — For  other  cases,  see  Constitutional  Law,  Cent.  Dig.  Sees.  94-102; 
Dec.  Dig.  Sec.  62.) 

6.  Constitutional  Law   (Sec.  318) — Due  Process  of  Law — Regulation  of  Employ- 

ment. 

That  Laws  1913,  p.  92,  authorizing  the  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  to  fix 
minimum  wages  and  maximum  hours  of  labor  for  women  and  minor  workers, 
makes  the  findings  of  the  commission  on  all  questions  of  fact  conclusive  is  not 
a  deprivation  of  due  process  of  law;  a  hearing  being  required  for  the  promulga- 
tion of  the  commission's  orders. 

(Ed.  Note. — For  other  cases,  see  Constitutional  Law,  Cent.  Dig.  Sec.  949;  Dec. 
Dig.  Sec.  318.) 

In  Bane.  Appeal  from  Circuit  Court,  Multnomah  County;  T.  J.  Clee- 
ton,  Judge. 

Suit  by  Frank  C.  Stettler  against  Edwin  O'Hara  and  others,  constitut- 
ing the  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  of  the  State  of  Oregon,  to  va- 
cate and  annul  an  order  of  the  commission,  and  enjoin  its  enforce- 
ment. From  a  decree  for  defendants,  plaintiff  appeals.  Affirmed. 

On  February  17,  1913,  the  legislative  assembly  passed  an  act  entitled 
"To  protect  the  lives  and  health  and  morals  of  women  and  minor  work- 
ers, and  to  establish  an  Industrial  Welfare  Commission  and  define  its 
powers  and  duties,  and  to  provide  for  the  fixing  of  minimum  wages  and 
maximum  hours  and  standard  conditions  of  labor  for  such  workers,  and 
to  provide  penalties  for  violation  of  this  act."  The  title  is  followed  by  a 
declaration  of  the  evils  that  it  is  desired  to  remedy,  as  follows:  "Where- 
as, the  welfare  of  the  State  of  Oregon  requires  that  women  and  minors 
should  be  protected  from  conditions  of  labor  which  have  a  pernicious 
effect  on  their  health  and  morals,  and  inadequate  wages  and  unduly  long 
hours  and  unsanitary  conditions  of  labor  have  such  a  pernicious  effect; 
therefore,  be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  State  of  Oregon."  The  first 
section  provides :  "It  shall  be  unlawful  to  employ  women  or  minors  in 
any  occupation  within  the  state  of  Oregon  for  unreasonably  long  hours ; 
and  it  shall  be  unlawful  to  employ  women  or  minors  in  any  occupation 
within  the  State  of  Oregon  under  such  surroundings  or  conditions — sani- 
tary or  otherwise — as  may  be  detrimental  to  their  health  or  morals ;  and 
it  shall  be  unlawful  to  employ  women  in  any  occupation  within  the 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  173 

State  of  Oregon  for  wages  which  are  inadequate  to  supply  the  necessary 
cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  them  in  health ;  and  it  shall  be  unlawful  to 
employ  minors  in  any  occupation  within  the  State  of  Oregon  for  un- 
reasonably low  wages."  Then  follows  the  creation  of  the  commission 
under  the  name  of  "Industrial  Welfare  Commission/'  to  be  appointed  by 
the  Governor,  and  provisions  defining  its  duties.  Section  4  provides: 
"Said  commission  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  ascertain  and 
declare,  in  the  manner  hereinafter  provided,  the  following  things:  (a) 
Standards  of  hours  of  employment  for  women  or  for  minors  and  what 
are  unreasonably  long  hours  for  women  or -for  minors  in  any  occupation 
within  the  State  of  Oregon;  (b)  standards  of  conditions  of  labor  for 
women  or  for  minors  in  any  occupation  within  the  State  of  Oregon  and 
what  surroundings  or  conditions — sanitary  or  otherwise — are  detri- 
mental to  the  health  or  morals  of  women  or  of  minors  in  any  such  occu- 
pation; (c)  standards  of  minimum  wages  for  women  in  any  occupation 
within  the  State  of  Oregon  and  what  wages  are  inadequate  to  supply  the 
necessary  cost  of  living  to  any  such  women  workers  and  to  maintain 
them  in  good  health;  and  (d)  standards  of  minimum  wages  for  minors 
in  any  occupation  within  the  State  of  Oregon  and  what  wages  are  un- 
reasonably low  for  any  such  minor  workers."  Section  8  provides,  among 
other  things,  that  the  "commission  may  call  and  convene  a  conference  for 
the  purpose  and  with  the  powers  of  considering  and  inquiring  into  and 
reporting  on  the  subject  investigated  by  said  commission  and  submitted 
by  it  to  such  conference.  Such  conference  shall  be  composed  of  not  more 
than  three  representatives  of  the  employers  in  said  occupation  and  of  an 
equal  number  of  the  representatives  of  the  employes  in  said  occupation 
and  of  not  more  than  three  disinterested  persons  representing  the  public 
and  of  one  or  more  commissioners,"  and  the  duties  of  such  conference, 
which  shall  report  the  result  of  its  investigations  with  recommendations 
to  the  commission.  Section  9  provides  that,  upon  the  receipt  of  the  re- 
port from  the  conference,  and  the  approval  of  its  recommendations,  the 
commission  may  make  and  render  such  order  as  may  be  proper  or 
necessary  to  adopt  such  recommendations,  and  to  carry  the  same  into 
effect,  and  require  all  employers  in  the  occupation  affected  thereby  to  ob- 
serve and  comply  with  such  recommendations  and  said  order.  The  act 
contains  other  provisions  giving  the  commission  and  conference  power 
and  authority  to  investigate  the  matters  being  considered,  and  that,  from 
the  matters  so  determined  by  the  commission,  there  shall  be  no  appeal  on 
any  question  of  fact,  but  that  there  shall  be  a  right  of  appeal  from  the 
commission  to  the  circuit  court  from  any  ruling  or  holding  on  a  ques- 
tion of  law  included  or  embodied  in  any  decision  or  order  by  the  commis- 
sion, and  from  the  circuit  court  to  the  Supreme  Court.  The  defendants 
were  duly  appointed  by  the  Governor  as  such  commission.  It  thereafter 


174  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

called  a  conference  as  provided,  which  reported  to  the  commission,  mak- 
ing certain  recommendations,  which  were  approved,  and  based  upon  such 
recommendations  it  made  the  following  order :  "The  Industrial  Welfare 
Commission  of  the  State  of  Oregon  hereby  orders  that  no  person,  firm, 
corporation,  or  association  owning  or  operating  any  manufacturing  es- 
tablishment in  the  city  of  Portland,  Oregon,  shall  employ  any  woman  in 
said  establishment  for  more  than  nine  hours  a  day,  or  fifty  hours  a  week ; 
or  fix,  allow,  or  permit  for  any  woman  employe  in  said  establishment  a 
noon  lunch  period  of  less  than  forty-five  minutes  in  length;  or  employ 
any  experienced  adult  woman  worker,  paid  by  time  rates  of  payment,  in 
said  establishment  at  a  weekly  wage  of  less  than  |8.64,  any  lesser  amount 
being  hereby  declared  inadequate  to  supply  the  necessary  cost  of  living 
to  such  women  factory  workers,  and  to  maintain  them  in  health."  The 
amended  complaint  sets  out  all  these  matters  in  greater  detail,  to  which 
the  defendants  demurred  on  various  grounds,  the  first  of  which  raises  the 
questions  here  discussed,  namely:  That  "it  does  not  state  facts  showing 
that  the  act  and  order  complained  of  is  an  unreasonable  exercise  of  the 
police  power  of  the  state."  The  demurrer  was  sustained,  and  the  plain- 
tiff elected  to  stand  on  the  amended  complaint.  Judgment  was  rendered 
dismissing  the  suit,  and  the  plaintiff  appeals. 

C.  W.  Fulton,  of  Portland  (Fulton  &  Bowernian,  of  Portland,  on  the 
brief) ;  for  appellant.  A.  M.  Crawford,  Atty.  Genl.,  and  Dan  J.  Ma- 
larkey,  of  Portland  (Walter  H.  Evans,  Dist.  Atty.,  and  Malarkey,  Sea- 
brook  &  Dibble,  all  of  Portland,  on  the  brief),  for  respondents.  Joseph 
N.  Teal,  of  Portland,  on  the  brief,  amicus  curiae,  representing  Con- 
sumer's League.  Rome  G.  Brown,  of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  filed  a  Jjrief  as 
amicus  curiae. 

EAKIN,  J.  (after  stating  the  facts  as  above).  The  purpose  of  this 
suit  is  to  have  determined  judicially  whether  either  the  fourteenth 
amendment  of  the  federal  Constitution  or  section  20,  Art.  1,  of  the  Oregon 
Constitution  is  an  inhibition  against  the  regulation  by  the  Legislature  of 
the  hours  of  labor  during  Avhich  women  may  be  employed  in  any  me- 
chanical or  manufacturing  establishment,  mercantile  occupation,  or 
other  employment  requiring  continuous  physical  labor,  or  against  the 
establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  to  be  paid  therefor.  Some  features 
of  these  questions  are  practically  new  in  the  courts  of  this  country.  There 
have  been  some  utterances  by. the  courts  of  last  resort  to  the  effect  that 
it  is  such  an  inhibition.  Some  of  these  cases  relate  exclusively  to  the 
limitation  of  the  hours  of  employment,  others  to  the  wages  to  be  paid  on 
contracts  with  the  state  or  municipality;  but  the  cases  so  holding  are 
based  largely  on  the  fact  that  such  regulation  deprives  the  individual  of 
liberty  and  property  without  due  process  of  law,  namely:  That  it  is 
not  within  the  police  power  of  the  state,  and  violates  the  liberty  of  con- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  175 

tract.  The  first  case  holding  such  a  statute  unconstitutional  is  Lochner 
v.  New  York,  198  U.  S.  45,  25,  Sup.  Ct.  539,  49  L.  Ed.  937,  annotated  in  3 
Ann.  Cas.  1133.  A  similar  case  is  Kitchie  v.  People,  155  111.  98,  40 
N.  E.  454,  29  L.  K.  A.  79,  4G  Am.  St.  Rep.  315.  In  the  former  case,  in  the 
appellate  divison  of  the  state  court,  two  of  five  judges  were  in  favor 
of  upholding  the  law;  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  state  three  of  the 
seven  judges  Avere  so  minded;  and  in  the  United  States  court  four  of  the 
nine  judges  favored  such  a  disposition  of  the  case.  The  opinions  in 
those  decisions  are  based  upon  very  different  theories,  showing  that 
judicial  opinion  has  not  reached  any  settled  or  stable  basis  upon  which  to 
rest.  It  has  only  been  during  the  last  few  years  that  the  matter  of  legis- 
lation upon  the  question  of  the  limitation  of  hours  of  labor  has  been 
agitated  in  legislative  bodies  or  in  the  courts.  The  decisions  of  the  courts 
have  been  based  upon  first  impression,  and  may  be  liable  to  fluctuation 
from  one  extreme  to  the  other  before  the  extent  of  the  power  of  legisla- 
tion on  these  questions  is  finally  settled.  The  entry  of  woman  into  the 
realm  of  many  of  the  employments  formerly  filled  by  man,  in  which 
she  attempts  to  compete  with  him,  is  a  recent  innovation,  and  it  has 
created  a  condition  which  the  Legislatures  have  deemed  it  their  duty  to 
investigate,  and  to  some  extent  to  govern.  It  is  conceded  by  all  students 
of  the  subject,  and  they  are  many,  and  their  writings  extensive,  that 
woman's  physical  structure  and  her  position  in  the  economy  of  the  race 
renders  her  incapable  of  competing  with  man  either  in  strength  or  in  en- 
durance. This  is  well  emphasized  by  Justice  Brewer  in  Muller  v.  Ore- 
gon, 208  U.  S.  412,  28  Sup.  Ct.  324,  52  L.  Ed.  551,  13  Ann.  Cas.  957,  an 
appeal  from  Oregon  questioning  the  constitutionality  of  the  law  fixing 
the  maximum  hours  of  labor  for  woman,  where  he  says:  uThat  woman's 
physical  structure  and  the  performance  of  maternal  functions  place  her 
at  a  disadvantage  in  the  struggle  for  subsistence  is  obvious.  This  is 
especially  true  when  the  burdens  of  motherhood  are  upon  her.  Even 
when  they  are  not,  by  abundant  testimony  of  the  medical  fraternity,  con- 
tinuance for  a  long  time  on  her  feet  at  work,  repeating  this  .from  day  to 
day,  tends  to  injurious  effects  upon  the  body,  and,  as  healthy  mothers 
are  essential  to  vigorous  offspring,  the  physical  well-being  of  woman  be- 
comes an  object  of  public  interest  and  care  in  order  to  preserve  the 
strength  and  vigor  of  the  race.  Still  again,  history  discloses  the  fact  that 
woman  has  always  been  dependent  upon  man.  He  established  his  con- 
trol at  the  outset  by  superior  physical  strength,  and  this  control  in  vari- 
ous forms,  with  diminishing  intensity,  has  continued  to  the  present.  As 
minors,  though  not  to  the  same  extent,  she  has  been  looked  upon  in 
the  courts  as  needing  a  special  care  that  her  rights  may  be  preserved. 
*  *  *  *  Differentiated  by  these  matters  from  the  other  sex,  she  is 
properly  placed  in  a  class  by  herself,  and  legislation  designed  for  her  pro- 


176  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

tection  may  be  sustained,  even  when  like  legislation  is  not  necessary  for 
men,  and  could  not  be  sustained.  It  is  impossible  to  close  one's  eyes  to 
the  fact  that  she  still  looks  to  her  brother  and  depends  upon  him ;  *  * 
that  her  physical  structure  and  a  proper  discharge  of  her  ma- 
ternal functions — having  in  view  not  merely  her  own  health,  but  the  well- 
being  of  the  race — justify  legislation  to  protect  her  from  the  greed  as 
well  as  the  passion  of  man.  The  limitations  which  this  statute  places 
upon  her  contractual  powers,  upon  her  right  to  agree  with  her  employer 
as  to  the  time  she  shall  labor,  are  not  imposed  solely  for  her  benefit,  but 
also  largely  for  the  benefit  of  all.  Many  words  cannot  make  this  plainer. 
*  *  This  difference  justifies  a  difference  in  legislation,  and  upholds 
that  which  is  designed  to  compensate  for  some  of  the  burdens  which  rest 
upon  her."  The  conditions  mentioned  in  the  above  quotation  lie  at  the 
foundation  of  all  legislation  attempted  for  the  amelioration  of  woman's 
condition  in  her  struggle  for  subsistence.  In  many  of  the  states  as  well 
as  in  foreign  countries  special  study  and  investigation  have  been  given 
to  this  question  as  to  the  effect  of  long  hours  of  labor  and  inadequate 
wages  upon  the  health,  morals,  and  welfare  of  woman,  with  a  view  to 
remedy  the  evil  results  as  far  as  possible.  There  seems  to  be  a  very 
strong  and  growing  sentiment  throughout  the  land,  and  a  demand,  that 
something  must  be  done  by  law  to  counteract  the  evil  effects  of  these  con- 
ditions. 

In  the  case  of  Lochner  v.  New  York,  supra,  in  which  the  constitu- 
tionality of  the  labor  law  of  New  York,  limiting  the  hours  of  labor  in 
bakeries,  is  questioned,  Justice  Peckham,  wrote  the  opinion,  holding  the 
law  invalid.  Justice  Harlan  filed  a  dissenting  opinion,  which  should  not 
be  overlooked,  as  the  parts  here  quoted  are  general  statements  of  the 
law  recognized  by  judicial  opinion,  and  not  in  conflict  with  the  main 
opinion.  Justices  White  and  Day  concurred  therein ;  Justice  Holmes  also 
dissenting.  In  that  opinion  it  is  said :  "While  this  court  has  not  at- 
tempted to  mark  the  precise  boundaries  of  what  is  called  the  police 
power  of  the  state,  the  existence  of  the  power  has  been  uniformly  recog- 
nized, both  by  the  federal  and  state  courts."  In  quoting  from  Patterson 
v.  Kentucky,  97  U.  S.  501,  24  L.  Ed.  1115,  he  says:  "  <It  (this  court) 
has  nevertheless,  with  marked  distinctness  and  uniformity,  recognized  the 
necessity,  growing  out  of  the  fundamental  conditions  of  civil  society,  of 
upholding  state  police  regulations  which  were  enacted  in  good  faith,  and 
had  appropriate  and  direct  connection  with  that  protection  to  life, 
health,  and  property  which  each  state  owes  to  her  citizens.  *  *  * 
But  neither  the  (fourteenth)  amendment — broad  and  comprehensive  as 
it  is — nor  any  other  amendment  was  designed  to  interfere  with  the  power 
of  the  state,  sometimes  termed  its  police  power,  to  prescribe  regulations 
to  promote  the  health,  peace,  morals,  education,  and  good  order  of  the 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  177 

people.'  *  *  *  Granting,  then,  that  there  is  a  liberty  of  contract 
which  cannot  be  violated  even  under  the  sanction  of  direct  legislative 
enactment,  but  assuming,  as  according  to  settled  law  we  may  assume, 
that  such  liberty  of  contract  is  subject  to  such  regulations  as  the  state 
may  reasonably  prescribe  for  the  common  good  and  the  well-being  of 
society,  what  are  the  conditions  under  which  the  judiciary  may  declare 
such  regulations  to  be  in  excess  of  legislative  authority  and  void?  Upon 
this  point  there  is  no  room  for  dispute,  for  the  rule  is  universal  that  a 
legislative  enactment,  federal  or  state,  is  never  to  be  disregarded  or  held 
invalid,  unless  it  be,  beyond  question,  plainly  and  palpably  in  excess  of 
legislative  power."  The  opinions  of  the  justices  who  hold  the  maximum 
hours  laws  unconstitutional  are  based  largely  upon  the  fact  that  they 
violate  the  liberty  of  contract,  holding  that  such  acts  are  not  within  the 
fair  meaning  of  the  term  "a  health  law,"  but  are  an  illegal  interference 
with  the  rights  of  the  individual,  and  are  not  within  the  police  power 
of  the  Legislature  to  enact.  The  right  of  the  state  to  prescribe  the  num- 
ber of  hours  one  may  work  or  be  employed  on  public  works  is  generally 
upheld,  for  the  reason  that  the  state  may  determine  for  itself  what  shall 
constitute  a  day's  work  of  a  laborer  on  public  works,  which  violates  no 
individual  right  of  property  or  liberty  of  contract.  Penn  Bridge  Co.  v. 
United  States,  29  App.  D.  C.  452,  10  Ann.  Gas.  720;  Byars  v.  State,  2 
Okl.  Cr.  481,  102  Pac.  804,  Ann.  Gas.  1912A,  765;  People  v.  Chicago, 
256  111.  558,  100  N.  E.  194,  43  L.  R.  A.  (N.  S.)  954,  Ann.  Gas.  1913E,  305. 
So  it  is  held  that  work  underground  or  in  a  smelter  is  unhealthy,  and 
may  be  regulated,  in  Ex  parte  Boyce,  27  Nev.  299,  75  Pac.  1,  65  L.  E.  A. 
47,  1  Ann.  Gas.  66;  Holden  v.  Hardy,  169  U.  S.  366,  18  Sup.  Ct.  383,  42 
L.  Ed.  780;  Ex  parte  Kair,  28  Nev.  127,  80  Pac.  463,  113  Am.  St.  Eep. 
817,  6  Ann.  Gas.  893;  Id.,  28  Nev.  425,  82  Pac.  453,  6  Ann.  Gas.  893.  In 
the  Lochner  Case,  supra,  employment  in  a  bakery  and  candy  factory  is 
held  not  to  be  unhealthy,  and  that  a  statute  limiting  the  hours  of  labor 
therein  is  void.  A  statute  fixing  the  hours  of  labor  for  women  is  held 
valid  in  State  v.  Muller,  48  Or.  252,  85  Pac.  855,  120  Am.  St.  Eep.  805, 
annotated  in  11  Ann.  Gas.  88,  which  case  is  affirmed  in  208  U.  S.  412,  28 
Sup.  Ct.  324,  52  L.  Ed.  551,  and  annotated  in  13  Ann.  Gas.  957.  In 
Ritchie  v.  People,  supra,  the  law  limiting  hours  of  work  for  women  was 
held  void.  However,  in  Ritchie  &  Co.,  v.  Wayman,  244  111.  509,  91  N.  E. 
695,  27  L.  R.  A.  (N.  S.)  994,  such  a  law  was  held  valid  as  within  the 
police  power  of  the  Legislature;  and,  again,  in  People  v.  Chicago,  supra, 
and  in  People  v.  Elerding,  254  111.  579,  92  N.  E.  982,  40  L.  R.  A.  (N.  S.) 
893,  the  law  was  upheld.  Thus  it  appears  that  Illinois  has  wholly  re- 
ceded from  the  decision  in  the  case  of  Ritchie  v.  People,  supra,  and  it 
may  now  be  considered  as  established  that  a  statute  which  limits  the 
hours  of  labor  of  certain  occupations  or  for  certain  classes  of  persons  for 
23 


178  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

the  protection  of  the  health  and  welfare  of  society  is  within  the  police 
power  of  the  state.  Commonwealth  v.  Riley,  210  Mass.  387,  97  N.  E. 
367,  Ann.  Gas.  1912D,  388;  State  v.  Somerville,  67  Wash.  638,  122 
Pac.  324.  It  was  said  in  People  v.  Elerding,  supra,  wherein  a  statute 
limiting  the  working  hours  per  day  for  males  was  held  constitutional  as 
a  valid  exercise  of  the  police  powers:  "That  under  the  police  power  of 
the  state  the  General  Assembly  may  enact  legislation  to  prohibit  all 
things  hurtful  to  the  health,  welfare,  and  safety  of  society,  even  though 
the  prohibition  invade  the  right  of  liberty  or  property  of  the  individual, 
is  too  well  settled  to  require  discussion  or  the  citation  of  authority. 

*  *     *     While,  in  its  last  analysis,  it  is  a  judicial  question  whether  an 
act  is  a  proper  exercise  of  the  police  power,  it  is  the  province  of  the  Leg- 
islature to  determine  when  an  exigency  exists  calling  for  the  exercise  of 
this  power.     When  the  legislative  authority  has  decided  an  exigency 
exists  calling  for  the  exercise  of  the  power,  and  has  adopted  an  act  to 
meet  the  exigency,  the  presumption  is  that  it  is  a  valid  enactment,  and 
the  courts  will  sustain  it,  unless  it  appears,  beyond  any  reasonable  doubt, 
that  it  is  in  violation  of  some  constitutional  limitation."    On  the  same 
subject  it  is  said  in  Lochner  v.  New  York,  supra,  quoting  from  Jacobson 
v.  Massachusetts,  197  U.  S.  11,  25  Sup.  Ct.  358,  49  L.  Ed.  643,  3  Ann. 
Gas.  765,  relating  to  the  vaccination  statute,  that:  "The  power  of  the 
courts  to  review  legislative  action  in  respect  of  a  matter  affecting  the 
general  welfare  exists  only  'when  that  which  the  Legislature  has  done 
comes  within  the  rule  that,  if  a  statute  purporting  to  have  been  enacted 
to  protect  the  public  health,  the  public  morals,  or  the  public  safety  has 
no  real  or  substantial  relation  to  those  objects,  or  is,  beyond  all  question, 
a  plain,  palpable  invasion  of  rights  secured  by  the  fundamental  law.' 

*  *     *     If  there  be  doubt  as  to  the  validity  of  the  statute,  that  doubt 
must  therefore  be  resolved  in  favor  of  its  validity,  and  the  courts  must 
keep  their  hands  off,  leaving  the  Legislature  to  meet  the  responsibility  for 
unwise  legislation."    In  re  Spencer,  149  Gal.  396,  86  Pac.  896,  117  Am. 
St.  Kep.  137,  9  Ann.  Gas.  1105,  it  is  said:    "The  presumption  always  is 
that  an  act  of  the  Legislature  is  constitutional,  and,  when  this  depends 
on  the  existence  or  non-existence  of  some  fact,  or  state  of  facts,  the  de- 
termination thereof  is  primarily  for  the  Legislature,  and  the  courts  will 
acquiesce  in  its  decision,  unless  the  error  clearly  appears."    The  legisla- 
tive power  of  the  state  is  not  derived  by  grant  of  the  Constitution,  but 
exists  as  to  all  subjects  not  inhibited  by  the  state  or  federal  Constitution. 

There  is  only  one  federal  inhibition  urged  against  this  statute,  namely : 
"No  state  shall  make  or  enforce  any  law  which  shall  abridge  the 
privileges  or  immunities  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  nor  shall 
any  state  deprive  any  person  of  life,  liberty,  or  property  without  due 
process  of  law,  or  deny  to  any  person  within  its  jurisdiction  an  equal 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  179 

protection  of  the  law."  Fourteenth  amendment.  It  may  probably  be 
conceded  that  the  public  welfare  statute  in  question  here  violates  this 
clause  as  abridging  privileges  of  citizens  if  it  cannot  be  justified  as  a 
police  measure;  and  we  will  assume,  without  entering  into  a  discussion 
of  I  hat  question  or  citation  of  authorities,  that  provisions  enacted  by 
I  he  stale  under  its  police  power  that  have  for  their  purpose  the  protec- 
tion or  betterment  of  the  public  health,  morals,  peace,  and  welfare,  and 
reasonably  tend  to  that  end,  are  within  the  power  of  the  state,  notwith- 
standing they  may  apparently  conflict  with  the  fourteenth  amendment  of 
the  federal  Constitution. 

(1)  So  that  the  first  and  principal  question  for  decision  is  whether 
the  provisions  of  the  act  before  us  are  within  the  police  power  of  the 
state.    Professor  Tucker,  in  8  Cyc.  863,  says:    "Police  power  is  the  name 
given  to  that  inherent  sovereignty  which  it  is  the  right  and  duty  of  the 
government  or  its  agents  to  exercise  whenever  public  policy,  in  a  broad 
sense,  demands,  for  the  benefit  of  society  at  large,  regulations  to  guard 
its  morals,  safety,  health,  order,  or  to  insure  in  any  respect  such  economic 
conditions  as  an  advancing  civilization  of  a  highly  complex  character 
requires."     This  is  a  comprehensive  definition,  and  we  will  accept  it 
without  further  detailed  analysis  or  citation  of  authority. 

(2)  As  will  appear  from  the  cases  cited  above  we  can  accept  as  settled 
law  statutes  having  for  their  purpose  and  tending  to  that  end  pro- 
vision for  a  maximum  hours  law  of  labor  for  employes  upon  public  works, 
a  maximum  hours  law  for  women  and  children  employed  in  mechanical, 
mercantile,  or  manufacturing  establishments,  a  maximum  hours  law  for 
laborers  in  mines  or  smelters,  a  law  fixing  minimum  wages  for  employes 
upon  public  works.    The  latter  is  held  in  Malette  v.  Spokane,  137  Pac. 
500,  even  where  the  expense  is  borne  by  private  individuals,  so  that  the 
only  question  for  decision  here  is  as  to  the  power  of  the  Legislature  to 
tix  the  minimum  wage  in  such  a  case.    We  use  the  language  of  Mr.  Ma- 
larkey:     "The  police  power,  which  is  another  name  for  the  power  of  gov- 
ernment, is  as  old  and  unchanging  as  government  itself.    If  its  existence 
be  destroyed,  government  ceases.    There  have  been  many  attempts  to  de- 
line  the  police  power  and  its  scope;  but,  because  of  confusing  the  power 
itself  with  the  changing  conditions  calling  for  its  application,  many  of 
the  definitions  are  inexact  and  unsatisfactory.    The  courts  have  latterly 
eliminated  much  of  this  confusion  by  pointing  out  that,  instead  of  the 
power  being  expanded  to  apply  to  new  conditions,  the  new  conditions 
are,  as  they  arise,  brought  within  the  immutable  and  unchanging  prin- 
ciples underlying   the  power.     When   new   conditions   arise   which   in- 
juriously affect  the  health  or  morals  or  welfare  of  the  public,  we  no 
longer  say  that  we  will  expand  the  police  power  to  reach  and  remedy 
the  evil.    Instead,  we  say  that  a  new  evil  has  arisen  which  an  old  prin- 


180  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

ciple  of  government — the  police  power — will  correct."  If  the  statute  tends 
reasonably  to  accomplish  the  purposes  intended  by  the  Legislature,  it 
should  be  upheld  by  the  court.  Justice  Harlan,  in  Jacobson  v.  Massa- 
chusetts, supra,  quoting  from  Viemeister  v.  White,  179  N.  Y.  235,  72 
N.  E.  97,  70  L.  K.  A.  796,  103  Am.  St.  Kep.  859,  1  Ann.  Gas.  334,  states: 
"A  common  belief,  like  common  knowledge,  does  not  require  evidence  to 
establish  its  existence,  but  may  be  acted  upon  without  proof  by  the  Leg- 
islature and  the  courts.  *  *  *  The  fact  that  the  belief  is  not  uni- 
versal is  not  controlling,  for  there  is  scarcely  any  belief  that  is  accepted 
by  everyone.  The  possibility  that  the  belief  may  be  wrong,  and  that 
science  may  yet  show  it  to  be  wrong,  is  not  conclusive,  for  the  Legislature 
has  the  right  to  pass  laws  which,  according  to  the  common  belief  of  the 
people,  are  adapted  to  prevent  the  spread  of  contagious  diseases.  In  a 
free  country,  where  the  government  is  by  the  people,  through  their  chosen 
representatives,  practical  legislation  admits  of  no  other  standard  of 
action,  for  what  the  people  believe  is  for  the  common  welfare  must  be 
accepted  as  tending  to  promote  the  common  welfare,  whether  it  does 
in  fact  or  not.  Any  other  basis  would  conflict  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Constitution,  and  would  sanction  measures  opposed  to  a  republican  form 
of  government.  While  we  do  not  decide,  and  cannot  decide,  that  vacci- 
nation is  a  preventive  of  smallpox,  we  take  judicial  notice  of  the  fact 
that  this  is  the  common  belief  of  the  people  of  the  state,  and,  with  this 
fact  as  a  foundation,  we  hold  that  the  statute  in  question  is  a  health 
law,  enacted  in  a  reasonable  and  proper  exercise  of  the  police  power." 
In  speaking  of  the  Oregon  ten  hour  law,  Chief  Justice  Bean,  in  the 
case  of  State  v.  Muller,  supra,  says:  "Such  legislation  must  be  taken 
as  expressing  the  belief  of  the  Legislature,  and  through  it  of  the  people, 
that  the  labor  of  females  in  such  establishments  in  excess  of  ten  hours 
in  any  one  day  is  detrimental  to  health  and  injuriously  affects  the  public 
welfare.  The  only  question  for  the  court  is  whether  such  a  regulation 
or  limitation  has  any  real  or  substantial  relation  to  the  object  sought 
to  be  accomplished,  or  whether  it  is  'so  utterly  unreasonable  and  ex- 
travagant' as  to  amount  to  a  mere  arbitrary  interference  with  the  right 
to  contract.  On  this  question  we  are  not  without  authority." 

These  are  some  of  the  grounds  upon  which  maximum  ten  hour  laws 
are  sustained,  and  we  have  cited  them  here  as  applying  with  equal  force 
to  sustain  the  women's  minimum  wage  law,  and  as  bringing  it  within  the 
police  power  of  the  Legislature.  The  state  should  be  as  zealous  of  the 
morals  of  its  citizens  as  of  their  health.  The  "whereas  clause"  quoted 
above  is  a  statement  of  the  facts  or  conclusions  constituting  the  neces- 
sity for  the  enactment,  and  the  act  proceeds  to  make  provision  to  remedy 
these  causes.  "Common  belief"  and  "common  knowledge"  are  sufficient 
to  make  it  palpable  and  beyond  doubt  that  the  employment  of  female 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  181 

labor  as  it  has  been  conducted  is  highly  detrimental  to  public  morals, 
and  has  a  strong  tendency  to  corrupt  them.  Elizabeth  Beardsley  Butler, 
in  her  "Women  of  the  Trades,"  says:  "Yet  the  fact  remains  that,  for 
the  vast  bulk  of  salesgirls,  the  wages  paid  are  not  sufficient  for  self  sup- 
port, and,  where  girls  do  not  have  families  to  fall  back  on,  some  go 
undernourished,  some  sell  themselves.  And  the  store  employment  which 
o tiers  them  this  two-horned  dilemma  is  replete  with  opportunities  which 
in  gradual,  easy,  attractive  ways  beckon  to  the  second  choice ;  a.  situation 
which  a  few  employers  not  only  seem  to  tolerate,  but  to  encourage." 
The  Legislature  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts  appointed  a  commission 
known  as  the  Commission  on  Minimum  Wage  Boards  to  investigate  con- 
ditions. In  the  report  of  that  commission  in  January,  1912,  it  is  said: 
"Women  in  general  are  working  because  of  dire  necessity,  and  in  most 
cases  the  combined  income  of  the  family  is  not  more  than  adequate  to 
meet  the  family's  cost  of  living.  In  these  cases  it  is  not  optional  with 
the  woman  to  decline  low  paid  employment.  Every  dollar  added  to  the 
family  income  is  needed  to  lighten  the  burden  which  the  rest  are  carry- 
ing. *  *  *  Wherever  the  wages  of  such  a  woman  are  less  than  the 
cost  of  living  and  the  reasonable  provision  for  maintaining  the  worker 
in  health,  the  industry  employing  her  is  in  receipt  of  the  working  energy 
of  a  human  being  at  less  than  its  cost,  and  to  that  extent  is  parasitic. 
The  balance  must  be  made  up  in  some  way.  It  is  generally  paid  by  the 
industry  employing  the  father.  It  is  sometimes  paid  in  part  by  future 
inefficiency  of  the  wrorker  herself,  and  by  her  children,  and  perhaps  in 
part  ultimately  by  charity  and  the  state.  *  *  *  If  an  industry  is 
permanently  dependent  for  its  existence  on  underpaid  labor,  its  value  to 
the  commonwealth  is  questionable."  Many  more  citations  might  be  made 
from  the  same  authorities,  and  from  such  students  of  the  question  as 
Miss  Caroline  Gleason,  of  Portland,  Or.,  Louise  B.  Moore,  of  New  York, 
Irene  Osgood,  of  Milwaukee,  and  Eobert  C.  Chapin,  of  Beloit  College. 
With  this  common  belief,  of  which  Justice  Harlan  says:  "We  take 
judicial  notice,"  the  court  cannot  say,  beyond  all  question,  that  the  act 
is  a  plain,  palpable  invasion  of  rights  secured  by  the  fundamental  law, 
and  has  no  real  or  substantial  relation  to  the  protection  of  public  health, 
the  public  morals,  or  public  welfare.  Every  argument  put  forward  to 
sustain  the  maximum  hours  law,  or  upon  which  it  was  established,  ap- 
plies equally  in  favor  of  the  constitutionality  of  the  minimum  wage  law 
as  also  within  the  police  power  of  the  state  and  as  a  regulation  tending 
to  guard  the  public  morals  and  the  public  health. 

(3-5)  Plaintiff,  by  his  complaint,  questions  the  law  also  as  a  violation 
of  section  20  of  article  1  of  the  Constitution  of  Oregon.  As  we  under- 
stand this  contention,  it  is  that  the  order  applies  to  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments in  Portland  alone,  that  other  persons  in  the  same  business  in 


182  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

other  localities  are  unaffected  by  it,  and  that  it  is  discriminatory.  The 
law  by  which  plaintiff  is  bound  is  contained  in  section  1  of  the  act 
quoted  above.  If  he  will,  he  can  comply  with  this  provision  without  any 
action  by  the  commission,  and  it  applies  to  all  the  state  alike.  The  other 
provisions  of  the  act  are  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  for  those  who 
are  not  complying  with  it  what  are  reasonable  hours  of  labor,  and 
what  is  a  reasonable  wage,  in  the  various  occupations  and  localities  in 
the  state  to  govern  in  the  application  of  section  1  of  the  act,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  fixing  penalties  for  violations  thereof.  Counsel  seem  to  con- 
sider the  order  of  the  commission  as  a  law  which  the  commission  has  been 
authorized  to  promulgate;  but  we  do  not  understand  this  to  be  its 
province.  Section  4  provides:  "Said  commission  is  hereby  authorized 
and  empowered  to  ascertain  and  declare  *  *  *  (a)  standards  of 
hours,"  etc.  By  section  8  it  is  only  after  investigation  by  the  commis- 
sion, and,  when  it  is  of  opinion  therefrom  that  any  substantial  number  of 
women  in  any  occupation  are  working  unreasonably  long  hours  or  for  in- 
adequate wages,  that  it  shall,  by  means  of  a  conference,  ascertain  what  is 
a  reasonable  number  of  hours  for  work  and  a  minimum  rate  of  wages, 
when  it  may  make  such  an  order  as  may  be  necessary  to  adopt  such  regu- 
lation as  to  hours  of  work  and  minimum  wages;  and  section  1  of  the 
act  shall  be  enforced  on  that  basis.  There  is  nothing  in  the  record 
suggesting  that  there  is  a  substantial  number  of  women  workers  in  the 
same  occupation  as  those  included  in  the  order  complained  of  here  work- 
ing unreasonably  long  hours  or  for  an  inadequate  wage  in  any  other 
locality  than  Portland.  Other  cases  as  they  are  discovered  are  to  be 
remedied  as  provided  therefor,  but  the  law  is  state-wide,  and  it  does  not 
give  to  plaintiff  unequal  protection  of  the  law,  nor  grant  to  others 
privileges  denied  to  him;  neither  does  it  delegate  legislative  powers  to 
the  commission.  It  is  authorized  only  to  ascertain  facts  that  will  de- 
termine the  localities,  businesses,  hours,  and  wages  to  which  the  law 
shall  apply.  Counsel  urges  that  the  law  upon  this  question  interferes 
with  plaintiff's  freedom  of  contract,  and  refers  to  the  language  used  in 
Ee  Jacobs,  98  N.  Y.  98,  50  Am.  Rep.  636,  to  wit :  "Liberty,  in  its  broad 
sense  as  understood  in  this  country,  means  the  right,  not  only  of  freedom 
from  actual  servitude,  imprisonment,  or  restraint,  but  the  right  of  one  to 
use  his  faculties  in  all  lawful  ways,  to  live  and  work  where  he  will," 
etc.,  as  a  change  brought  about  by  the  larger  freedom  enjoyed  in  this 
country,  and  guaranteed  by  the  federal  Constitution  and  the  Constitu- 
tions of  the  various  states  in  comparison  with  conditions  in  the  earlier 
days  of  the  common  law,  when  it  was  found  necessary  to  prevent  extor- 
tion and  oppression  by  royal  proclamation  or  otherwise,  and  to  establish 
reasonable  compensation  for  labor ;  but  he  fails  to  take  note  that  by  rea- 
son of  this  larger  freedom  the  tendency  is  to  return  to  the  earlier  condi- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  183 

tions  of  long  hours  and  low  wages,  so  that  some  classes  in  some  em- 
ployments seem  to  need  protection  from  the  same  conditions  for  which 
royal  proclamation  was  found  necessary.  The  Legislature  has  evi- 
dently concluded  that  in  certain  localities  these  conditions  prevail  even 
in  Oregon ;  that  there  are  many  women  employed  at  inadequate  wages — 
employment  not  secured  by  the  agreement  of  the  worker  at  satisfactory 
compensation,  but  at  a  wage  dictated  by  the  employer.  The  worker  in 
such  a  case  has  no  voice  in  fixing  the  hours  or  wages,  or  choice  to  re- 
fuse it,  but  must  accept  it  or  fare  worse.  As  said  in  Wells  v.  Great 
Northern  Ky.  Co.,  59  Or.  165,  114  Pac.  92,  116  Pac.  1070,  34  L.  R.  A.  (N. 
S.)  818,  825,  as  to  a  baggage  contract  printed  on  the  ticket  of  a  pas- 
senger: "In  this  case  neither  was  it  the  subject  of  agreement  between 
the  company  and  the  carrier  (passenger),  but  was  imposed  by  the  com- 
pany as  a  condition  of  the  sale  of  the  ticket,  and  in  signing  the  ticket  the 
plaintiff  was  laboring  under  such  an  inequality  of  conditions  as  that  he 
was  compelled  to  enter  into  the  contract,  whether  he  would  or  not."  In 
the  dissenting  opinion  in  the  Lochner  Case,  supra,  it  is  said:  "It  is 
plain  that  this  statute  was  enacted  in  order  to  protect  the  physical  well- 
being  of  those  who  worked  in  bakery  and  confectionery  establishments. 
It  may  be  that  the  statute  had  its  origin,  in  part,  in  the  belief  that  em- 
ployers and  employes  in  such  establishments  were  not  upon  an  equal 
footing,  and  that  the  necessities  of  the  latter  often  compelled  them  to 
submit  to  such  exactions  as  unduly  taxed  their  strength.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  the  statute  must  be  taken  as  expressing  the  belief  of  the  people  of 
New  York  that,  as  a  general  rule,  and  in  the  case  of  the  average  man, 
labor  in  excess  of  60  hours  during  a  week  in  such  establishments  may 
endanger  the  health  of  those  who  labor." 

Counsel  suggest  it  is  only  quite  recently  that  it  has  been  seriously  con- 
tended that  the  states  may  lawfully  establish  a  minimum  wage  in 
private  employments.  This  is  undoubtedly  true,  and  it  may  be  that 
there  is  an  occasion  for  it.  The  Legislature  seems  to  have  acted  on  the 
idea  that  conditions  have  changed,  or  that  private  enterprises  have  be- 
come so  crowded  that  their  demands  amount  to  unreasonable  exactions 
from  women  and  children ;  that  occasion  has  arisen  for  relief  through  its 
police  power;  and  that  it  has  determined  the  public  welfare  demands 
the  enactment  of  this  statute.  Justice  Washington,  in  Ogden  v.  Saund- 
ers,  12  Wheat,  269,  6  L.  Ed.  606,  says  that  the  question  which  he  has 
been  examining  is  involved  in  difficulty  and  doubt;  "but,  if  I  could  rest 
my  opinion  in  favor  of  the  constitutionality  of  the  law  on  which  the 
question  arises  on  no  other  ground  than  this  doubt  so  felt  and  acknowl- 
edged, that  alone  would,  in  my  estimation,  be  a  satisfactory  vindication 
of  it.  It  is  but  a  decent  respect  due  to  the  wisdom,  the  integrity,  and  the 
patriotism  of  the  legislative  body,  by  which  any  law  is  passed,  to  pre- 


184  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

sume  in  favor  of  its  validity,  until  its  violation  of  the  Constitution  is 
proved  beyond  all  reasonable  doubt." 

(6)  Plaintiff  further  contends  that  the  statute  is  void  for  the  reason 
that  it  makes  the  findings  of  the  commission  on  all  questions  of  fact 
conclusive,  and  therefore  takes  his  property  without  due  process  of  law, 
relying  on  the  decision  of  Chicago,  etc.,  Ry.  Co.,  v.  Minnesota,  134  U.  S. 
418,  10  Sup.  Ct.  462,  702,  33,  L.  Ed.  970,  as  conclusive  upon  that  ques- 
tion. That  case  was  an  attack  upon  the  law  creating  a  Railway  and 
Warehouse  Commission  which  was  held  valid  by  the  state  of  Minnesota ; 
but  the  United  States  court  reversed  the  judgment  there  for  the  reason 
that  the  law  does  not  provide  for  a  hearing  by  the  parties  affected  by 
the  order,  which  is  not  due  process  of  law,  and  that  no  notice  and  oppor- 
tunity to  be  heard  is  provided  for,  which  is  the  principal  ground  upon 
which  the  state  court  was  reversed.  Louisville  &  N.  R.  Co.,  v.  Garrett, 
231  U.  S.  298,  34  Sup.  Ct.  48,  58  L.  Ed.— is  a  case  very  much  in  point,  in 
which  was  had  a  hearing  before  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Kentucky, 
fixing  freight  rates  between  certain  points  within  the  state.  The  plain- 
tiff attacked  the  legality  of  these  orders  because  they  were  final  and  con- 
clusive without  right  of  appeal,  and  that  by  reason  thereof  plaintiff  was 
deprived  of  property  without  due  process  of  law.  In  deciding  this  ques- 
tion, the  court  said:  "It  (the  law)  required  a  hearing  *  *  *  and  a 
determination  by  the  commission  wrhether  the  existing  rates  were  ex- 
cessive. But,  on  these  conditions  being  fulfilled,  the  questions  of  fact 
which  might  arise  *  *  *  would  not  become,  as  such,  judicial  ques- 
tions to  be  re-examined  by  the  courts.  The  appropriate  questions  for 
the  courts  would  be  whether  the  commission  acted  within  the  authority 
duly  conferred."  Thus,  in  the  present  case,  plaintiff  was  given  the  right 
and  opportunity  to  be  heard  before  the  commission,  as  provided  for  by 
section  9  of  the  act.  In  the  third  subdivision  of  the  opinion  in  the 
latter  case  it  is  held  that,  even  though  the  law  gives  no  right  of  appeal, 
from  the  final  finding  of  facts,  a  party  aggrieved  is  not  without  remedy 
as  to  matters  that  would  be  the  appropriate  subject  of  judicial  inquiry, 
namely,  if  the  rates  fixed  are  confiscatory;  but,  where  such  a  board  has 
fully  and  fairly  investigated  and  fixed  what  it  believes  to  be  reasonable 
rates,  the  party"  affected  thereby  has  not  been  deprived  of  due  process  of 
law.  San  Diego  Land  &  Town  Co.,  v.  National  City,  174  U.  S.  739,  19 
Sup.  Ct.  804,  43  L.  Ed.  1154;  Spring  Valley  Waterworks  v.  San  Fran- 
cisco, 82  Cal.  286,  22  Pac.  910,  1046,  6  L.  R.  A.  756,  16  Am.  St.  Rep. 
116;  Louisville  &  N.  R,  Co.,  v.  Garrett,  supra.  Many  other  cases  are 
cited  in  the  briefs  of  defendants  fully  supporting  their  contention.  Due 
process  of  law  merely  requires  such  tribunals  as  are  proper  to  deal  with 
the  subject  in  hand.  Reasonable  notice  and  a  fair  opportunity  to  be 
heard  before  some  tribunal  before  it  decides  the  issues  are  the  essentials 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  185 

of  due  process  of  law.  It  is  sufficient  for  the  protection  of  his  consti- 
tutional rights  if  he  has  notice  and  is  given  an  opportunity  at  some 
state  of  the  proceedings  to  be  heard.  Towns  v.  Klamath  County,  33  Or. 
225,  53  Pac.  604. 

We  think  we  should  be  bound  by  the  judgment  of  the  Legislature  that 
there  is  a  necessity  for  this  act,  that  it  is  within  the  police  power  of 
the  state  to  provide  for  the  protection  of  the  health,  morals,  and  welfare 
of  women  and  children,  and  that  the  law  should  be  upheld  as  consti- 
tutional. 

The  decree  of  the  circuit  court  is  affirmed. 

McBRIDE,  C.  J.,  not  sitting. 


APPENDICES. 


A — Round  Table  Discussion  with  Professors  of  the  U.  of  M.  and  Michi- 
gan Colleges  on  the  Academic  Aspect  and  Economic  Utility  of  a 
Minimum  Wage  for  Women. 

B — Public  Meeting  held  in  Detroit  to  Discuss  the  Minimum  Wage. 

C — Public  Meeting  held  in  Grand  Rapids  to  Discuss  the  Minimum  Wage. 

D — Public  Meeting  held  in  Saginaw  to  Discuss  the  Minimum  Wage. 

E — Meeting  of  the  Michigan  Laundryinen's  Association  held  in  Bay  City. 

F — Official  Opinions  of  Organized  Labor  on  the  Minimum  Wage. 

G — Opinions  of  Employers  on  the  Practicability  of  a  Minimum  Wage. 

H — Condensation  of  an  Investigation  held  by  the  Federal  Government 
on  Women  and  Child  Wage-earners  in  the  United  States. 

I — Conditions  in  the  Michigan  Canning  Industry. 

j — Florence  Kelley  on  Minimum  Wage  Legislation  for  Women. 

K — The  Need  for  Vocational  Education. 

L — Investigation  of  Candy  Making  Industry. 

M — Investigation  of  the  Core  Making  Industry. 

X — Investigation  of  the  Corset  Industry. 

O — Investigation  of  Hosiery  and  Knit  Goods  Industry. 

P — Investigation  of  Laundries. 

Q — Investigation  of  the  Overall  Industry. 

R — Investigation  of  Paper  and  Cigar  Box  Industries. 

8 — Investigation   of  Seed  Packing  Industry. 

T — Investigation  of  Store  Conditions. 

U — Investigation  of  Working  Conditions  in  Telephone  Exchanges. 

V — Investigation  of  the  Cigar  and  Tobacco  Industries. 

W — Investigation  of  Women's  Garment  Industries. 

X — Working  Conditions  in  the  Upper  Part  of  the  Lower  Peninsula. 

Y — Working  Conditions  in  the  Upper  Peninsula. 

Z— The  Problem  of  Rooming  Conditions  Confronting  the  Woman 
"Adrift." 

A  A — Little  Stories  of  Heart  Interest,  told  to  the  Commission's  Investi- 
gators. 

BB — Miscellaneous  Information. 

CC — Samples  of  Blanks  used  by  Commission  in  Obtaining  Information. 


APPENDIX  A. 


ROUND  TABLE  DISCUSSION  OF  THE  MINIMUM  WAGE  BY 
REPRESENTATIVES  OF  MICHIGAN  COLLEGES. 


(Reported  by  Herman  Vander  Noot,  stenographer.) 

By  invitation  of  the  Michigan  Commission  of  Inquiry  into  the  ad- 
visability of  a  minimum  wage  for  women,  a  Round  Table  discussion 
was  held  in  the  Governor's  parlor,  capitol  building,  Lansing,  the  after- 
noon and  evening  of  October  16,  1914.  Besides  all  the  Commissioners, 
there  were  present: 

C.   S  Dunford,  Professor  of  Political  Economy,  Michigan  Agricultural  College; 
G.  W.  Dowrie,  Professor  of  Political  Economy,  University  of  Michigan; 
Russell  Weisman,   Professor  of  Political   Economy,  Kalamazoo  College; 
Frank  T.  Carlton,  Professor  of  Political  Economy,  Albion  College; 
C.  S.  Dow,  Professor  of  Sociology,  Olivet  College. 

Judson  Grenell,  Chairman  of  the  Commission,  acted  as  chairman 
of  the  meeting.  He  said : 

Kindly  give  your  attention.  I  trust  you  all  received  the  memor- 
anda* as  to  the  object  of  this  gathering.  The  meeting  is  entirely  in- 
formal. The  Commissioners  want  you  to  feel  free  to  say  what  you 
please,  and  to  talk  on  any  of  the  phases  of  this  problem  in  which  you 
feel  most  interested. 

The  Commission  finds  that  the  proposition  of  a  minimum  wage  for 
women  has  advocates  and  opponents  among  employers;  it  has  advo- 
cates and  opponents  among  employes.  Scores  of  reasons  have  been 
given  this  Commission  why  it  is  economically  impossible  to  make  such 
a  scheme  as  a  minimum  wage  work,  and  many  reasons  have  been  mar- 
shalled in  its  defense.  Some  employers  have  already  established  mini- 
mum wage  rates  in  their  establishments ;  others,  while  not  exactly  estab- 
lish iiig  a  minimum  wage,  decline  to  employ  those,  who  after  trial,  are 
unable  to  earn,  at  piece  work,  a  certain  amount. 

As  a  rule,  society  warms  slowly  to  new  economic  ideas;  most  people- 
men  and  women — are  afraid  they  will  jump  from  the  frying  pan  into 
the  lire.  The  average  employer  thinks  he  has  about  all  he  can  contend 
with  and  live;  the  employe  fears  to  demand  better  conditions  or  higher 
wages,  lest  he  lose  what  he  has. 

The  Commissioners  do  not  profess  to  be  all-wise.  They  are  search- 
ing in  every  direction  for  light  on  the  problem  of  the  advisability  and 

*This  memoranda  will  be  found  immediately  following  this  record. 


190  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

workability  of  a  legal  minimum  wage  in  Michigan.  Both  its  advisa- 
bility and  workability  seem  to  have  been  demonstrated  elsewhere  to  the 
satisfaction  of  some,  but  not  of  all.  On  this  point  there  are  contradictory 
reports.  However,  there  has  yet  to  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 
Commissioners  an  instance  of  a  minimum  wage  driving  an  industry  out 
of  existence,  or  of  wage-earners  suffering  from  lack  of  employment 
through  its  operation.  There  is  also  no  information  showing  that  a 
minimum  wage  law  has  in  any  marked  degree  benefited  labor.  But  then 
a  legislative  enactment  may  be  a  good  thing,  even  if  it  does  not  work 
miraculous  changes  in  the  condition  of  society. 

The  minimum  wage  problem,  as  it  presents  itself  to  this  Commission, 
can  very  well  be  seen  from  the  memoranda  before  you.  There  are  the 
factors  that  determine  the  rate  of  wages,  there  are  the  natural  and  ar- 
tificial conditions  affecting  wage  workers,  and  there  is  the  fact  that 
society  has  heretofore  considered  it  necessary  to  constitute  itself  a 
guardian  of  women  and  children,  lest  the  strong  and  unscrupulous  in- 
jure them  physically  or  morally,  and  in  this  way  undermine  the  state. 

The  proposition  to  establish  a  minimum  wage  is  simply  viewing  the 
same  subject — the  protection  of  women — from  a  different  angle.  Pro- 
fessors of  political  economy  are  generally  supposed  to  look  at  things 
only  from  an  academic  standpoint.  It  is  hoped  our  Michigan  professors 
will  approach  this  problem  in  a  way  to  demonstrate  that  what  is 
academically  right  is  also  economically  practical,  and  what  is  acade 
mically  wrong  is  "bad  medicine"  for  the  diseases  and  sores  of  the  body 
politic. 

As  I  said  before,  this  meeting  is  absolutely  free  for  the  expression  of 
all  kinds  of  opinions  on  the  subject  before  you,  and  I  would  make  the 
suggestion  that  you  start  from  one  part  of  the  circle — from  one  part  of 
the  round  table — and  each  one  .take  up  what  he  is  most  interested  in 
When  anyone  is  talking,  it  is  not  necessary  to  address  the  chair;  address 
the  speaker. 

PROFESSOR   CARLTON   AND   THE   MINIMUM    WAGE. 

ME.  CAKLTON:  I  believe  in  a  minimum  wage  law.  I  understand 
that  the  minimum  wage,  as  you  are  considering  it,  is  of  course  only  for 
women  and  children,  and  that  you  do  not  intend  to  fix  a  high  minimum 
wage.  As  I  understand  it,  the  minimum  wage  that  you  have  in  mind 
is  a  sufficient  wage,  and  of  course,  this  must  be  somewhat  indefinite,— 
a  wage  sufficient  to  support  the  worker,  and  perhaps  those  dependent 
upon  the  particular  worker,  if  there  be  such,  in  such  a  way  as  to  keep 
up  physical  efficiency. 

Now,  with  that  idea  of  a  minimum  wage  in  mind,  it  seems  that  the 
minimum  wage  is  not  a  radical  proposition  at  all;  that  the  minimum 
wage  is  practically  on  a  par  with  the  laws  requiring  a  minimum  of  sani- 
tation, for  maximum  hours  of  labor,  for  safety  in  regard  to  accidents. 
In  other  words,  I  put  it  exactly  on  the  same  basis  as  those  laws  that 
are  now  quite  general  in  our  states. 

Now  as  to  these  particular  questions,  as  I  follow  the  outline  here  in 
the  memoranda  you  have  prepared, — referring  to  the  first  subject, — 
"As  certain  factors  determine  the  rate  of  wages  which  any  individual 
worker  or  group  of  workers  receive,  which  of  the  following  are  the 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  191 

most  important?"  I  should  say  that  the  standard  of  living  and  needs 
of  the  individual,  and  needs  of  the  workingman's  family,  the  influence 
tlu-y  have  on  wages,  would  be  to  fix  a  sort  of  minimum, — a  lower  limit. 
More  or  less  it  is  true  that  the  size  of  profits,  for -example,  might  be  a 
factor  in  fixing  the  upper  limit. 

THE  LIMITS  OF   WAGES. 

Not  presenting  this  as  a  theory  of  wages,  it  however,  seems  that  we 
can  fix  two  limits  within  which  wages  will  fall;  a  lower  limit  which 
must  be  the  limit  of  physical  efficiency — it  may  fall  below  that  at  times, 
but  in  the  long  run  wages  cannot  fall  below  a  minimum  which  limits 
physical  efficiency.  In  my  judgment  there  may  be  certain  industries  in 
which  they  do  now,  but  not  industries  as  a  whole.  I  think  there  are  cer- 
tain industries  where  that  is  true,  and  if  that  be  not  true,  I  do  not  be- 
lieve there  would  be  necessity  for  arguing  as  to  a  minimum  wage;  but 
if  it  is  time  in  an  industry,  it  seems  that  the  latter  must  draw  its  future 
workers  from  some  other  class  of  people,  than  from  the  children  of  work- 
ers now  in  that  industry.  I  don't  know  whether  I  make  that  clear: 
The  industry  does  not  sustain  itself,  in  other  words. 

Now  I  think  the  standard  of  living  is  quite  indefinite,  but  it  seems  to 
me  there  is  some  more  or  less  lower  limit,  and  that  the  upper  limit  is 
fixed  in  part  by  the  necessity  of  obtaining  profits.  There  is  a  certain 
amount  produced  by  an  establishment.  Now  under  our  present  system  of 
industry,  some  goes  in  the  form  of  rent,  interest,  profit,  etc.,  and  if 
wages  are  raised  so  high  as  to  unduly  curtail  profits,  that  line  of  indus- 
try will  stop  doing  business.  Therefore  the  size  of  profits  is  a  factor 
in  fixing  the  upper  limit. 

It  seems  to  me  that  between  those  two  limits  the  wages  are  fixed  by 
bargaining,  and  that  is  affected  by  many  of  these  conditions:  Number 
of  workers  and  the  efficiency  of  the  worker;  the  organization  of  em- 
ployers, the  organization  of  workers;  and  many  of  the  things  unesti- 
mated  in  your  outline.  With  a  strong  organization  of  workers,  we  may 
expect  that  wages  will  be  pushed  up  nearer  that  limit  than  when  the  or- 
ganization is  weak.  A  strong  organization  of  employers  may  be  ex- 
pected to  push  the  other  way.  So  it  seems  to  me,  wages  are  fixed  by 
some  system  of  bargaining,  collectively  in  some  cases.  That  is  all  I 
have  to  say  on  the  first  question,  unless  there  is  something  you  wish  to 
bring  out. 

THINGS   THAT    MAKE    FOR   PHYSICAL   EFFICIENCY. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     Aside   from   the   matter   of   physical 
efficiency,  how  far  can  and  ought  the  needs  of  the  individual  and  of  the 
family,  the  standard  of  living,  enter  into   the   question    of  a  minimum 
•e,  and  particularly  with  reference  to  moral  conditions? 
R.  CARLTON:     The  question  is:    Does   physical    efficiency   depend 

tirely  upon  food  and  clothes?  First,  I  think  physical  efficiency  de- 
mands something  more  than  the  absolutely  necessary  amount  of  food, 
or  minimum  requirements  in  regard  to  housing  and  clothes.  In  other 
words,  unless  the  worker  does  have  something  beyond  these,  I  do  not 
believe  the  worker  will  work  up  to  maximum  efficiency;  and  it  seems 

Kt  the  employers  recognize  this  when  they  put  in  welfare  work  and 


192  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

various  things  of  that  kind.  To  fix  that  definitely  and  say  where  it 
stops,  I  do  not  believe  I  am  prepared  to  do,  except  that  I  think  the  mat- 
ter of  amusement,  of  recreation,  to  get  in  touch  perhaps  with  the  outside 
world,  ought  to  be  taken  into  account,  for  the  worker  is  more  than  a 
machine.  And  it  seems  to  me  that  if  the  State  is  going  to  legislate  on 
this  question,  that  this  ought  to  be  taken  into  account  in  some  degree; 
and  yet,  if  we  are  dealing  with  minimum  wage,  I  doubt  whether  -we 
are  warranted  in  fixing  the  wage  very  high, — for  some  other  reasons 
that  perhaps  will  come  out  later. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  The  point  you  make  is  that  there  is  need 
of  recreation  and  amusement,  and  that  it  is  a  physical  necessity? 

MR.  CARLTON:     Yes. 

I  meant  to  make  that  point  clear  in  my  statement,  and  I  think  it  is 
true.  I  would  say  this,  however,  it  seems  to  me  that  a  good  deal  of  the 
recreation  and  amusement  is  something  that  ought  to  be  furnished  by 
the  community. 

WHAT  REAL  WAGES  SHOULD  INCLUDE. 

Now  it  seems  the  real  wage  should  include  what  a  community  does 
for  the  individual.  When  he  is  furnished  free  education,  it  is  increasing 
the  real  wage.  It  is  the  business  of  the  community  to  furnish  recreation 
as  it  does  education.  As  to  those  two  limits  I  spoke  of,  I  do  not  believe 
you  can,  by  legislative  action,  or  action  of  organized  labor,  raise  wages 
except  to  the  upper  limit  or  close  to  it,  and  then  if  you  go  beyond  that 
it  must  be  done  by  community  action  through  a  method  of  taxation,  tax- 
ing land  grants  and  monopoly  privileges. 

In  other  words,  I  don't  think  that  directly  through  an  increase  in 
wages  you  can  attack  rents,  or  monopoly  privileges  or  anything  of  that 
nature.  Therefore,  I  would  say  a  good  deal  of  this  added  physical 
efficiency  that  conies  through  recreation  and  amusements  should  be  the 
result  of  community  action, — the  cheapest  way,  the  best  and  proper 
way,  from  my  point  of  view.  A  great  many  economists  will  say  that  is 
all  rot.  I  certainly  agree  Avith  Mr.  Grenell  that  you  cannot  have  the 
highest  efficiency  without  a  certain  amount  of  amusement  and  recreation, 
and  employers  recognize  that;  scientific  managers  recognize  that  when 
they  introduce  welfare  work. 

WAGES  VS.    SERVICE. 

Now  the  second  point,  I  don't  believe  I  can  answer,  "Do  wages,  as 
at  present  determined,  represent  the  true  value  of  the  service  rendered?" 
In  the  first  place,  if  there  is  any  man  who  can  give  an  answer  to  that 
which  will  satisfy  all  the  different  groups  in  the  community,  he  would 
be  a  genius.  If  you  read,  for  example  from  the  testimony  produced 
before  the  Federal  Industrial  Relations  Commission,  you  will  notice 
widely  different  opinions.  I  do  not  believe  that  you  can  come  to  a 
conclusion  definitely  of  the  true  value  of  services  rendered, — a  conclu- 
sion which  will  satisfy  various  groups  of  people.  I  do  not  see  how  it 
can  be  done. 

I  might  give  some  definite  conclusion  which  would  satisfy  me,  but 
I  do  not  know  that  it  would  satisfy  the  average  employer.  Again 
will  say  that  it  is  determined  in  the  competitive  sphere,  by  per- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  193 

haps  the  cost  of  production,  or  according  to  some  other  theory  of  wages, 
but  it  seems  to  me  in  the  first  place  that  competition  is  not  as  active 
and  free  as  a  great  many  theorists  claim  it  is,  that  there  is  more  or 
less  monopoly.  Consequently  many  wage  theories  are  of  no  great  prac- 
tical value. 

In  short,  I  know  of  no  "true  value  of  wages"  that  will  satisfy  the 
different  groups  in  the  community,  and  all  I  believe  that  a  Minimum 
Wage  Commission  can  do  is  to  consider  the  standard  of  living,  and  the 
customary  wage.  And  you  may  have  noted  that  the  Australian  wage 
boards  generally  appeal  to  what  the  wages  have  been  and  to  some 
standard  of  living,  in  attempting  to  fix  wages.  That  is  where  they  are 
trying  to  do  something  more  than  to  fix  a  minimum  wage.  I  don't 
know  that  we  have  a  definition  that  will  satisfy. 

CAN    WAGES   BE    RAISED  P,Y   A    MINIMUM    WAGE    LAW? 

Now  as  to  the  third  question,  "If  present  wages  in  general,  or  for  any 
particular  group  of  workers,  are  inadequate,  can  they  be  raised?" 
I  think  they  can  be  raised  by  governmental  action,  and  to  a  certain 
extent  by  education,  as  I  have  indicated  by  means  of  a  minimum  wage 
law.  I  think  it  has  been  proven  that  these  laws  have  raised  the  wages 
of  some  workers.  I  wish  to  call  attention  to  a  statement  made  by  Mr. 
Greriell,  namely,  he  knew  of  no  instance  of  any  employer  who  was 
forced  out  of  business  by  a  low  minimum  wage.  Now,  at  least  the 
theorists  indicate  that  one  of  the  benefits  of  a  minimum  wage  will  be  to 
drive  out  the  sweat  shop.  If  it  has  not  accomplished  that,  and  if  it 
can  not  accomplish  that,  I  think  it  is  a  failure.  Because  the  theory 
at  least,  is  that  minimum  wages,  placed  above  what  the  sweat  shops 
pay,  would  tend,  for  example  in  the  clothing  industry,  to  increase 
the  amount  produced  in  factories  and  that  some  sweat  shops  would  be 
forced  out  of  business  or  have  to  use  more  up-to-date  methods.  The 
reason  they  exist  is  because  they  can  get  workers  at  inadequate  wages. 

EFFECT  OF  BETTER  TRAINING. 

Answering  the  question  if  wages  can  be  raised  by  education — I  have 
no  doubt  that  wages  can  be  raised  somewhat  by  better  training,  in 
one  way  by  increased  efficiency,  and  in  another  by  increasing  the 
.standard  of  living.  It  seems  to  me  if  education  raises  the  standard 
of  living,  it  would  aid  in  shoving  up  wages.  In  other  words,  it  will 
make  the  workers  more  tenacious;  more  ready  to  demand  higher  wages. 
Those  are  the  two  things  I  have  in  mind.  I  suppose  in  some  instances 
the  reason  that  certain  educated  people  get  high  wages  is  because  of 
certain  monopoly  privileges.  If  everybody  was  educated  the  wages 
wouldn't  be  as  high  as  the  result  of  education  as  they  are  to-day. 

Another  agency  is,  of  course,  organized  labor.  If  women  workers 
were  organized  it  would  raise  their  wages.  The  question  is  whether 
they  can  be  organized  in  many  of  these  industries  in  which  you  are 
interested.  As  I  understand  the  Australian  system, — they  practically 
stimulate  the  organization  of  labor  there. 


194  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

GOVERNMENTAL    ACTION    DESIRABLE. 

Your  fourth  question,  "If  governmental  action  is  desirable  for  women 
and  minors,  is  the  best  form  the  establishment  of  a  Minimum  Wage?" 
I  think  my  answer  is  "Yes."  Possibly  the  shortening  of  hours  of  labor 
would  be  another  way.  I  remember  hearing  John  B.  Commons,  who 
I  think  is  the  greatest  authority  in  the  academic  field  on  labor  prob- 
lems in  this  country,  argue  that  to  fix  a  maximum  of  hours  was  more 
important  than  to  fix  a  minimum  wage;  and  a  good  many  labor  leaders 
agree  with  him.  Further  he  said  it  could  be  enforced  more  easily,  and 
in  his  judgment  was  more  practicable.  Whether  this  would  operate 
the  same  with  unorganized  workers,  I  do  not  know,  but  organized 
laborers,  by  shortening  hours  of  labor,  are  able  to  increase  their  wages. 
They  point  out  workers  with  short  hours  kave  usually  rather  high 
wages.  There  may  be  other  factors.  Of  course,  some  of  the  building 
trades  have  obtained  short  hours  and  receive  high  wages.  They  un- 
doubtedly have  a  certain  very  excellent  strategic  position  which  enables 
them  to  push  up  their  wages.  But  shortening  the  hours  tends  to  raise 
the  standard  of  living  and  if  you  lay  stress  upon  the  standard  of  living 
for  fixing  the  minimum  wage,  I  would  say  that  reducing  hours  has  its 
influence  upon  the  wage  rate. 

COMPULSION. 

Question  number  five,  "Should  the  Minimum  Wage,  if  declared,  be 
made  compulsory,  or  if  not,  how  shall  observance  be  secured?"  I  think 
it  ought  to  be  compulsory  if  we  utilize  it.  Now  what  does  a  minimum 
wage  do?  It  establishes  a  lower  basis  for  competition,  and  if  you 
allow  some  to  exceed  that,  if  they  refuse  to  accept  it,  it  seems  to  me 
you  would  not  have  a  common  lower  plane  upon  which  competition 
takes  place.  As  I  understand  the  minimum  wage,  it  means  a  new  com- 
petitive basis;  it  does  not  do  away  with  competition,  but  simply  indi- 
cates that  competitors  shall  not  compete  beyond  this  limit  in  regard 
to  lower  wages.  In  other  words,  it  fixes  a  new  rule  in  the  competitive 
game. 

I  am  inclined  to  favor  the  method  used  by  the  other  states  which  is 
compulsion,  rather  than  the  one  used  in  Massachusetts,  which  is  pub- 
licity. It  seems  to  me  that  the  man  who  evades  the  regulation  is  going 
to  make  the  competition  between  the  various  competitors  in  the  field, 
unfair.  On  the  other  hand,  if  you  do  force  a  definite  level  they  are  on 
the  same  basis  so  far  as  wages  are  concerned. 

EFFECT  ON   THE   INEFFICIENT. 

As  to  question  number  six,  "What  effect  would  a  Minimum  Wage  es-. 
iablishcd  by  statute  have?"  I  assume  that  the  minimum  wage,  as  fixed 
by  any  slate  board,  would  not  be  a  high  minimum  wage.  Therefore  it 
seems  to  me  in  case  of  the  workers  directly  affected,  it  would  raise 
their  wages  a  little  and  perhaps  throw  a  few  out  of  work; — a  few  that 
are  inefficient, — and  the  higher  you  raise  that  wage  above  the  present 
minimum  wages  the  more  you  are  likely  to  throw  men  out  of  work. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  The  argument  has  beon,  if  I  may 
siii4i»ost  that  if  VQVI  fix  H  low  iiiininuiii!  ji  docs  rioi  change  nialU'rs  at 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  195 

all  from  what  they  are  now.  If  you  raise  that  minimum  to  a  consider- 
able extent,  that  it  will  inevitably  throw  the  less  efficient  out  of  work. 
The  very  ones  you  are  trying  to  protect  are  thereby  injured.  What  do 
you  surest  as  to  that? 

MR.  CARLTON:  The  Oregon  Commission  fixed  $8.72  for  a  minimum 
wage.  That  was  fixed,  of  course,  on  what  they  considered  the  absolute 
necessaries  of  the  workers.  Now-  it  seems  to  me  there  are  only  a  few 
i lie Ilicient  people  who  will  be  thrown  out  of  work.  This  however,  might 
happen: — If  there  are  certain  establishments,  sweating  establishments, 
if  I  may  so  call  them,  which,  are  paying  very  low  wages  and  which 
are  inefficient,  it  seems  to  me  they  may  be  forced  out  of  business. 

The  minimum  wage  might,  therefore,  also  lead  considerably  to  en- 
largement of  the  other  establishments;  but  I  cannot  conceive  that  it 
will  greatly  reduce  the  total  demand  for  workers.  And  there  is  one 
oilier  thing  to  be  said  in  that  connection.  That  is,  if  you  increase  the 
wage  of  the  worker  you  increase  the  purchasing  power,  which  in  turn 
has  a  very  wide  influence  upon  increased  production  in  various  lines. 
You  may  shift  the  workers  in  that  particular  industry  slightly,  and 
throw  out  some  inefficient  workers,  but  it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  pretty 
difficult  to  say  that  a  wage  fixed  by  law  will  reduce  the  amount  of  em- 
ployment, unless  you  raise  the  rate  very  high;  and  I  do  not  understand 
that  the  experience  in  New  Zealand,  (or  in  Australia  where  they  use 
a  definite  minimum  wage  system)  would  indicate  that  such  would  be 
the  case.  As  I  understand  the  New  Zealand  and  Australian  system,  the 
compulsory  arbitration  system,  and  the  minimum  wage  system  amount 
to  pretty  nearly  the  same  thing.  Theoretically  they  are  established 
for  very  different  purposes, — one  to  abolish  sweating,  and  the  other 
to  fix  a  minimum  wage. 

EFFECT  ON   EMPLOYERS. 

Now  on  the  question  of  "employers  affected,"  I  think  I  answered  that 
in  what  I  said  as  to  the  workers.  It  seems  to  me  that  some  low  wage 
employers  would  be  affected,  and  yet,  taking  the  report,  I  think  of  the 
Massachusetts  investigation, — take  the  candy  business:  There  were  cer- 
tain competing  factories  in  that  state.  In  two  of  them,  for  example, 
they  found  very  different  conditions  as  to  wages.  In  one  case  almost  all 
women  employes  were  receiving  less  than  five  dollars  a  week,  and  in  the 
other  practically  all  received  more  than  five  dollars; — yet  those  were 
competing  establishments.  Now  if  that  be  true,  certainly  forcing  a 
minimum  wage  which  is  above  five  dollars  a  week  upon  this  one  estab- 
lishment would  not  cause  it  to  go  out  of  business.  It  seems  to 
me  that  it  might  have  some  influence  on  its  profits.  And  that  Commis- 
sion came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  wages  of  women  were  fixed  prac- 
tically without  any  relation  whatsoever  to  the  standard  of  living,  or  to 
competitive  conditions.  They  said  in  effect  that  the  personnel  of  the 
employer  had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  matter  of  treatment  and  wages 
of  employes. 

There  are  a  great  many  employers  today  who  seem  to  adopt  the  system 
f  shifting  their  employes.  This  practice  leads  to  inefficient  operators. 
The  linn  employing  the  more  stable  labor  force  ought  to  be  the  more 
efficient, 


196  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

COMPETITION   BETWEEN   EMPLOYERS   IN   DIFFERENT   STATES. 

MR.  WEISMAN :  Probably  if  Massachusetts  did  adopt  the  minimum 
wage  law,  and  Connecticut  did  not,  the  other  firm  would  go  to  Connecti- 
cut, where  they  can  employ  girls  for  four  dollars  and  a  half  a  week. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  So  far  as  Interstate  competition  goes,  that  may 
occur ;  but  the  fact  that  they  are  not  in  Connecticut  now  is  some  indica- 
tion that  conditions  are  not  as  favorable  to  their  antiquated  methods  or 
unscrupulous  practices  as  in  Boston. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  That  is  one  of  the  objections  made  by  large  em- 
ployers, that  surrounding  states  do  not  have  the  minimum  wage,  and 
therefore  it  wrould  drive  them  out. 

MR.  CARLTON:  That  is  the  old  argument  in  regard  to  child  labor, 
and  the  National  Child  Labor  Committee  has  failed,  I  believe,  to  find  an 
instance,  in  its  investigation,  where  a  firm  moved  from  one  state  to 
another  because  of  a  child  labor  law.  There  may  be  instances,  but  they 
are  very  few. 

There  is  no  trouble  getting  workers  in  the  eastern  states,  because  of 
the  amount  of  immigration,  so  far  as  that  is  concerned.  Outside  of  a 
few  industries  that  might  be  called  "parasitic  industries"  and  are  not 
paying  a  minimum  wage  sufficient  to  keep  their  workmen  in  efficiency, 
and  will  have  to  draw  from  the  outside  continually,  it  seems  to  me  out- 
side of  that,  no  employer  will  be  adversely  affected. 

MAKING  HMPLOYERS   EFFICIENT. 

It  seems  that  some  employers  can  pay  a  minimum  wage,  and  others 
can  not.  On  the  basis  of  social  welfare,  it  appears  clear  that  if  some  em- 
ployers are  so  inefficient  that  they  cannot  operate  their  business  and  pay 
a  living  wage,  while  their  competitor  can,  it  is  better  to  allow  the  com- 
petitor to  have  a  bigger  business  and  let  this  inefficient  man  go  out  of 
business  and  become  an  employe  himself. 

I  think  it  might  happen  in  a  good  many  cases  that  he  might  become 
efficient.  That  was  niy  point  in  regard  to  the  Massachusetts  firm.  I 
think  they  would  brace  up,  and  pay  the  wage,  and  perhaps  install  im- 
proved machinery.  If  there  is  an  industry  in  which  the  whole  industry, 
with  efficient  methods,  cannot  pay  a  living  wage  under  present  condi- 
tions, I  am  inclined  to  think  society  can  get  along  without  that  firm.  I 
think  I  agree  with  what  the  Oregon  Commission  said.  Mr.  Webb,  an 
English  writer,  presents  that  very  definitely,  but  puts  it  in  a  different 
way,  as  I  remember  it  now.  It  is  proper  that  prices  be  raised  a  little 
to  the  consumers  if  the  consuming  public  is  living  on  the  product  of 
under-fed  and  under-paid  workers.  I  think  just  as  that  Commission 
said,  it  is  up  to  the  consuming  public  to  pay  a  little  more. 

PROVIDING  FOR  OLD  AGE. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE :  I  would  like  to  direct  your  attention 
to  one  other  subject,  not  quite  covered  by  these  questions:  As  to  the 
maintenance  of  the  body  of  the  workers,  after  they  have  passed  the  years 
of  ability  to  wrork.  Should  not  that  be  incorporated  in  the  wages  re- 
ceived during  the  active  spheres  of  their  lives? 

MB,  CAIvl/TON;    That  is  a  (Difficult  question  to  ans^er^  because 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  197 

iavc  different  philosophies  about  that.  The  contention  of  American 
>rists  has  been  that  people  ought  to  save  for  old  age.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  I  understand  the  English  theory,  at  present,  it  is  quite  the  re- 
verse,— that  through  taxation  a  pension  should  be  paid  old  people.  Now 
T  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  question  of  old  age  pensions,  so  far  as 
it  touches  this  minimum  wage  legislation,  ought  to  be  taken  care  of  by 
some  form  of  insurance.  Of  course,  the  amount  of  insurance  ought  to 
be  included.  I  don't  suppose  anybody  in  the  United  States  is  ready  to 
propose  the  English  system. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:     It  would  be  the  cost  of  living,  plus  the 
cost  of  insurance,  that  would  determine  the -wage? 
M  I!.  CARLTON :     Yes,  sir. 

WHAT    IS    FAIR    COMPENSATION. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE  :  One  other  point :  From  your  observa- 
tion in  your  profession,  do  you  consider  from  the  information  which 
you  have,  that  in  Michigan,  under  the  present  wage  system,  the  em- 
ployer, the  capitalist,  receives  a  fair  return  for  his  capital  invested,  and 
ability  as  compared  with  the  amount  the  laborer  receives? 

Mr.  CARLTON:  Well,  there  again  you  come  back  to  the  second 
point; — that  depends  entirely  upon  the  theory  of  what  is  fair  and  what 
is  just,  and  how  much  should  go  to  capital  and  how  much  ought  to 
go  to  labor,  under  present  conditions;  but  I  say,  I  do  not  believe  that 
anybody  can  answer  that  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  parties  concerned. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  You  have  not  decided  then,  in  your 
own  mind,  that  any  wage  which  might  be  worthy  of  the  talents  of  the 
best  of  us,  compared  with  the  wage  which  might  be  worthy  of  the  talents 
of  the  poorest — is  at  present  properly  adjusted? 

MR.  CARLTON:  How  can  you  compare  them?  If  we  have  a  pure 
competitive  system,  they  are  fixed  by  some  definite  market  condition, 
put  I  do  not  believe  any  such  case  of  pure  and  free  competition  exists 
or  ever  has  existed  in  the  world.  Property  rights,  contracts,  monopoly, 
land  ownership  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  interfere.  I  think  about 
the  best  answer  that  can  be  given  is  that  you  will  have  to  decide  it  up- 
on the  basis  of  what  is  the  common  practice  at  the  present  time.  I 
suppose  some  manufacturers  will  say  a  return  of  five,  six  or  seven  per 
cent  is  a  fair  return;  then  again  the' question  conies  in  even  then,  as  to 
tangible  and  intangible  property, — which  ought  to  be  included.  I  un- 
derstand one  of  the  questions  the  railways  are  struggling  with  is  as  to 
Ihe  increase  in  value  of  real  estate, — in  fixing  rates,  should  the  rail- 
road use  the  increased  value  as  a  basis? 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Does  it  seem  a  reasonable  adjustment 
of  wages  to  say  that  there  are  men  in  the  State  who  are  entitled  to 
a  hundred  thousand  dollars  a  year,  and  worth  that  to  society,  as  com- 
pared with  four  dollars  a  week  for  a  fourteen  year  old  girl? 

MR.  CARLTON:  I  hate  to  subscribe  to  that  proposition,  yet  I  can 
say  there  are  some  men  who  are  extremely  valuable;  their  directing 
ability  is  worth  a  great  deal.  But  it  is  very,  very  great  in  comparison 
with  four  dollars  a  week  which  everybody  knows  is  below  anything 
like  a  living  wage, — you  know  a  girl  cannot  live  on  four  dollars  a 


198  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

week  unless  she  is  subsidized  in  some  form.  The  general  tendency  of 
business  now  is  toward  democracy,  which  means  greater  equality,  and 
certainly  THAT  is  a  very,  very  wide  difference. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Can't  establish  .democracy  on  that 
basis. 

MR.  CARLTON:     No,  I  should  say  not. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Do  we  understand  your  view  of  a 
minimum  wage  is  one  which  covers  the  cost  of  living,  physical  up-keep 
of  the  body  of  the  worker,  and  something  in  addition  thereto  which 
will  make  them  have  esprit  de  corps  in  the  business  in  which  they  are 
engaged  as  employes? 

GETTING    AT    THE    MINIMUM    WAGE. 

MR.  CARLTON:  I  suppose  that  any  minimum  wage  commission 
ought  to  go  to  work  as  some  already  have,  to  study  specific  industries, 
and  it  is  possible  that  conditions  in  the  industry  ought  to  be  given  con- 
siderable consideration,  but  as  a  general  proposition,  I  think  I  would 
agree  it  ought  to  be  sufficient  to  establish — to  give  definite  physical  re- 
quirements plus  something  at  least  which  would  allow  for  a  slight 
amount  of  amusement  and  recreation,  and  so  on.  So  far  as  establishing 
a  wage  by  law,  it  seems  to  me  it  ought  not  to  be  a  high  wage,  it  ought 
really  to  be  a  minimum  wage,  and  so  I  would  not  expect  that  any  board 
would  allow  a  great  deal  for  those  particular  things;  but  as  I  said,  in 
reality  a  great  deal  of  the  provision  for  recreation  and  amusement  ought 
to  come  through  community  action. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  In  Massachusetts  I  see  they  have  allowed 
151/2C  an  hour  for  women  as  a  minimum  wage  for  the  first  year,  and 
18c  thereafter.  The  cost  of  living  was  given.  For  lodging,  $1.50  a 
week;  food,  |3;  clothing,  87c;  car  fare,  60c;  other  items,  17c — total, 
|6.14.  There  are  also  these:  Laundry,  20c;  church,  lOc;  newspaper, 
Sunday  and  other  days,  Sc;  vacation,  at  the  rate  of  flO  a  year,  19c;  pic- 
ture shows,  once  in  two  weeks,  5c;  theatre,  once  in  two  months,  25c; 
clothing,  an  addition  of  $25  per  year,  4Sc ;  food,  50c ;  lodging  and  extras, 
50c ;  that  is  $2.14  in  addition  to  $6.14.  That  is  the  bare  cost  of  living, 
and  I  find  that  15%c  an  hour,  54  hours  a  week,  makes  $8.37.  That  is 
the  minimum  wage  established  by  the  Massachusetts  Minimum  Wage 
Commission  in  the  brush  industry  in  Massachusetts. 

MR.  CARLTON:  On  this  other  point,  "(d)  On  the  opportunity  of 
obtaining  a  higher  wage  than  minimum'' — 'I  do  not  think  that  fixing  a 
minimum  would  have  any  effect  on  the  wage  paid  to  workers  already 
receiving  more  than  that. 

FORCING   OUT  THE    INEFFICIENT^ 

The  next  point,  "On  the  inefficient" — I  suppose  some  inefficient 
workers  would  be  forced  out  of  work.  "On  irregularity  of  employment," 
—it  would  seem  if  it  had  any  influence  it  would  perhaps  lead  to  greater 
regularity  in  employment,  perhaps  for  the  reason  that  the  worker  when 
he  is  first  taken  on  is  an  inefficient  worker.  It  seems  that  would  tend  to 
regularize  the  industry.  "On  liberty  'of  action" — I  do  not  believe  that 
a  woman  who  receives  four  dollars  a  week, — that  her  liberty  of  action 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  199 

would  be  much  encroached  upon, — if  she  were  getting  six  or  seven  dol- 
lars. The  old  theory  of  the  frontiersman  was  that  all  laws  mean  en- 
croachments on  their  liberty.  I  don't  believe  that  holds  good  any  more. 
As  to  the  employer's  liberty — if  you  take  it  in  the  sense  that  the  em- 
ployer can  do  absolutely  what  he  pleases,  probably  there  is  an  encroach- 
ment on  his  liberty,  but  if  the  employer's  liberty  must  be  in  some  meas- 
ure considered  in  respect  to  the  community,  it  is  a*  different  proposi- 
tion. Of  course,  it  is  restricting  his  rights,  but  so  does  the  law  requir- 
ing certain  safety  appliances ;  and  so  does  the  law  which  says  you  shall 
not  employ  a  child  under  fourteen  years  of  age.  I  do  think  there  is 
an  encroachment  on  his  liberty  from  the  old  negative  view  point,  but  we 
have  gone  a  good  ways  from  that  view  point. 

PROFITS. 

As  to  the  question  "On  profits" — I  should  imagine  in  some  cases  it 
would  reduce  profits,  and  yet  it  may,  by  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the 
worker,  in  the  long  run  not  reduce  the  profits, — and  of  course,  more 
efficient  methods  might  increase  the  profits.  I  do  not  believe  a  law 
establishing  a  minimum  wage  would  have  any  great  effect  on  profits,  one 
way  or  another.  Of  course,  if  you  push  it  up  too  high,  it  would,  but  if 
you  place  it  on  the  basis  of  a  real  minimum  wage,  I  cannot  see  that  the 
average  establishment  would  be  greatly  affected, — especially  if  we  accept 
the  Massachusetts  statement  as  to  the  candy  business,  even  with  the 
modification  which  has  been  presented. 

DUTY  OF   THE    STATE  TOWARD  THE  INEFFICIENT. 

Question  number  seven, — "What  could  and  should  be  done  for  the  in- 
efficient?" I  suppose  I  have  covered  that  to  a  certain  extent.  If  they 
are  defective,  it  seems  to  me  they  should  be  taken  care  of  by  the  State  in 
some  manner,  in  some  institution  for  defectives,  and  be  trained  to  pro- 
duce things  which  can  be  used  in  State  institutions  and  elsewhere.  If 
they  are  merely  ignorant  and  untrained,  so  far  as  the  youth  is  concerned 
at  least,  they  can  be  trained  in  proper  educational  institutions. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Have  we  those  now?  Is  the  public 
doing  what  it  should  in  training  of  inefficient,  or  making  the  youth 
efficient? 

.MR.  CARLTON:  I  do  not  believe  it  is.  Of  course,  it  is  easy  to  criti- 
cise the  public  school  system,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  from  what  I 
hear  of  the  Grand  Rapids  system,  Grand  Rapids  is  trying  to  do  a  good 
work.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  vocational  guidance,  that  they  are 
trying  to  put  in  there,  is  a  good  thing.  It  is  a  difficult  proposition ;  it 
is  a  new  thing,  but  there  are  a  great  many  young  people  who  drift  out 
of  school  because  they  don't  see  where  the  school  is  doing  anything  for 
them.  Whether  they  are  right  or  wrong  about  that  I  don't  know.  I 
think  the  public  school  is  laying  too  much  stress  on  purely  academic 
subjects  and  not  enough  on  the  practical  things  of  life;  and  the  intro- 
duction of  what  are  known  as  "continuation  schools"  such  as  the  state 
of  Wisconsin  is  attempting,  is  desirable.  There  are  schools  for  boys 
past  fourteen.  The  working  boy  is  to  take  a  certain  amount  of  work  for 
two  or  three  years  in  schools  which  offer  practical  courses.  Of  course, 
that  is  the  German  system. 


200  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  O^ 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  The  question  as  to  the  inefficient, 
Avhat  to  do  with  them,  is  one  that  has  occupied  my  mind  ever  since  I 
have  been  on  the  Commission,  and  it  -seems  there  is  a  large  amount  of 
inefficiency,  and  the  employer  presents  this  argument,  and  there  is  a 
good  deal  of  basis  for  it, — that  their  help  is  inefficient  and  they  have  to 
train  their  employes  at  an  expense  to  themselves,  and  the  question  is, 
what  shall  be  done  with  them?  . 

MR.  CARLTON:  Of  course,  the  same  charge  is  presented  a  great 
many  times  against  the  employer,  that  there  is  a  lack  of  scientific  man- 
agement. That  is  what  is  said  about  the  railroads,  and  it  would  seem 
from  the  report  which  comes  to  us,  showing  the  results  of  scientific 
management,  that  the  charges  must  be  at  least  partially  true.  * 

SPURRING    WORKERS   TO   EFFICIENCY. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  It  seems  to  me,  in  the  establishment  of  a  minimum 
wage,  when  the  condition  of  employment  is  the  test  of  efficiency,  that 
through  the  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  the  laborer  will  become 
more  efficient.  In  cases  of  inefficiency,  due  to  lazin'ess  through  the  lack  of 
incentive; — there  are  many  wrho  could  do  better,  but  who  do  accept  a 
low  wage  because  they  are  paid  and  do  as  little  as  they  can,  but  when  the 
condition  of  their  employment  is  efficiency,  they  will  become  more 
efficient. 

MR.  DOWRIE :  I  think  a  man  who  is  naturally  lazy  will  remain  lazy, 
no  matter  how  much  money  he  receives. 

MR.  CARLTON :  Why  is  a  man  naturally  lazy  ?  Does  it  not  go  back 
to  the  question  as  to  whether  they  wrere  unfit  to  begin  with? 

MR.  DOWRIE :  I  think  if  a  person  is  in  proper  health  and  in  proper 
surroundings  he  will  be  active,  but  after  a  man  has  been  accustomed  to 
slovenly  habits  for  a  long  period  of  time,  it  would  be  hard  to  put  energy 
into  him. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  My  point  is,  if  a  test  of  efficiency  is  a  condition  of 
employment,  he  will  have  to  be  efficient  or  become  a  beggar,  and  the  law 
might  be  so  that  he  would  desire  to  become  efficient,  but  where  one  is 
paid  a  low  wage  he  does  just  as  little  as  he  may,  i.  e.,  he  is  no  more 
efficient  than  he  has  to  be.  That  is  the  idea  I  have  from  talking  with 
laboring  men  and  my  own  students  who  have  worked  in  factories.  I 
would  say  that  there  are  a  great  many,  particularly  those  along  about 
the  margin;  those  we  would  call  "marginal  workers*'  who  believe  they 
do  not  get  a  fair  wage  or  what  they  are  worth.  I  do  not  believe  there 
would  be  as  much  inefficiency  as  we  sometimes  think.  I  think  that  point 
is  exaggerated.  Insofar  as  they  are  defective,  of  course,  we  cannot  im- 
prove on  that  through  the  incentive  of  the  minimum  wage. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  Your  idea  is  that  a  higher  wage  will  spur 
them  on  to  efficiency? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  Yes,  sir.  Efficiency,  to  my  mind,  includes  a  great 
deal  more  than  mere  physical  ability  to  work.  For  instance,  from  the 
psychologic  view  point,  the  locomotive  engineer  who  goes  out  on  his 
daily  run  is  not  efficient  unless  his  mind  is  clear  of  all  domestic  troubles 
particularly.  Now  there  are  some  who  believe  that  in  the  establish- 
ment of  a  minimum  wage,  the  minimum  wage  law  ought  to  include  or 
make  provision  for  efficiency.  I  don't  know  how  far  the  State  would 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  201 

£<>  in  providing  for  efficiency  along  these  lines  that  I  just  mentioned. 
I  don't  know  how  far  the  State  could  go. 

MR.  GARLTON:  Well  these  things  mentioned  in  the  Massachusetts 
iv  port  YOU  would  say  would  tend  to  make  for  efficiency,  would  you  not? 

MK.  DUNFORD;    Yes. 

THE   INCENTIVE   IN   THE   FORD   PLAN. 

MR.  GARLTON:  I  would  like  to  ask  a  question  about  the  Ford 
plan:  Do  you  think  that  if  the  other  plants  gave  the  five  dollar  mini- 
mum, that  the  incentive  would  be  as  potent  in  the  Ford  plant? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  I  should  answer,  first,  that  the  other  plants  can- 
not do  it.  My  point  there  is,  that  I  do  not  believe  that  Ford  is  under 
the  competitive  strain  that  some  other  plants  are.  He  manufactures 
a  certain  type  of  car  and  has  no  immediate  competition  so  far  as  any- 
Ixuly  knows.  If  the  labor  market  be  overstocked  one  unscrupulous 
manufacturer  may  force  others  to  a  lower  moral  standard. 

MR.  CARLTON:  Granting  that  possibility,  what  about  the  incen- 
tive? Isn't  it  because  there  is  an  especial  situation,  if  they  do  not 
come  up  to  the  mark  they  are  fired,  and  must  go  somewhere  else? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  Weil  once  they  have  been  raised  to  a  higher  view 
point  with  respect  to  their  work,  they  won't  lose  it  so  easy. 

MR,  GARLTON :  Don't  you  think  that  is  especially  applicable  to  the 
Ford  plant? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  Yes,  there  may  be  some  ground  for  attributing  it 
to  the  personality  of  the  administration,  but  when  once  they  are  raised 
to  that  high  ideal  of  service,  I  do  not  believe  they  will  drop  to  their 
former  level.  However,  if  the  minimum  wage  were  made  applicable 
to  all  similar  industries  operating  under  a  competitive  strain,  the 
worker  going  somewhere  else  would  be  conditional  upon  his  efficiency, 
i.  e.,  his  ability  to  earn  the  minimum.  That  is,  the  situation  can  be 
made  general. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Part  of  the  cause  of  inefficiency  be- 
ing due  to  lack  of  training,  how  is  that  to  be  supplied?  Has  not  the 
public  got  to  do  something  along  that  line? 

MR.  CARLTON:  I  would  say  lack  of  education, — the  public  cer- 
1  a  inly  has  got  to  do  something  along  that  line.  I  think  a  good  many 
boys  become  inefficient  because  they  haven't  proper  opportunity  for 
recreation,  and  they  go  to  pieces  because  of  that  condition. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  Mr.  Dunford,  will  you  now  give  us  your 
views? 

MR,  DUNFORD:  I  have  no  set  speech,  and  I  shall  rely  consider- 
ably on  the  questions  asked.  I  surmise,  at  any  rate,  that  you  have  a 
number  of  questions  that  you  have  not  asked.  You  want  particularly 
to  know  the  economic  point  of  view,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  give  it  as 
I  see  it. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  I  wanted  to  ask  one  question  sooner 
or  later,  that  comes  into  it  perhaps  from  the  economic  standpoint.  There 
is  one  gentleman  who  appeared  before  us  who  said  that  in  substance 


PROFESSOR    DUNFORD    AND    THE    MINIMUM    WAGE. 


202  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

that  either  labor  was  a  mere  economic  factor,  to  be  treated  as  such  and 
governed  by  economic  laws,  and  that  if  we  depart  from  that  point  of 
view,  then  we  were  entering  upon  an  effort  to  have  labor  supported, — 
whether  it  economically  deserved  support  or  not.  In  other  words,  we 
were  throwing  the  burden  of  support  on  society,  not  exactly  as  charity, 
but  philanthropy. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  I  think  I  see  what  you  have  in  mind.  So  far  as 
I  am  able  to  see,  there  is  nothing  in  the  minimum  wage  law,  or  in 
many  of  the  other  efforts  that  are  being  made  in  behalf  of  labor  that 
runs  counter  to  economic  principles  or  economic  laws;  but  labor,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  the  minimum  wage  is  established,  will  still  be 
an  economic  factor,  and  I  think  Mr.  Oarlton  pointed  out  pretty  clearly 
that  competition  more  or  less  would  still  fix  wages. 

RAISES   PLANE   OF   COMPETITION. 

What  the  minimum  wage  does  is  to  raise  the  plane  of  competition, 
below  which  the  laborers  and  employers  cannot  go.  Now  insofar  as 
there  are  inefficient  laborers  below  that  plane  of  competition,  we  will 
have  to  provide  for  them  in  some  way,  but  my  point  of  view  is  that 
that  is  considerably  exaggerated. 

There  ate  a  number  of  checks  upon  that;  in  the  first  place,  the  manu- 
facturer will  set  about  to  make  his  plant  more  efficient,  to  provide  a 
better  organization.  Of  course,  he  is  doing  that  now;  through  the  stress 
and  strain  of  competition  he  has  to  do  it  now.  They  are  putting  into 
their  plants  cost  accounting  systems  they  never  had  before,  and  effi- 
ciency management  plans,  etc.,  and  this  raising  of  the  plane  of  competi- 
tion will  only  increase  his  effort  along  those  lines. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  efficiency  of  the  workman,  as  I  pointed  out 
a  moment  ago,  will  also  tend  to  check  the  number  of  inefficient  and 
out  of  employment.  At  any  rate,  the  experience  in  Australia  seems  to 
indicate  that  inefficiency  is  exaggerated.  Of  course  you  cannot  take 
Australian  conditions  and  deduce  conclusions  from  them  which  will  fit 
us,  but  it  seems  to  indicate  that  at  any  rate  the  point  can  be  consider- 
ably exaggerated. 

MINIMUM    WAGE    LAW    NEEDED. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL :  Do  you  see  any  necessity  for  a  minimum 
wage  law? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  I  think  so.  Of  course  I  have  not  made  as  thorough 
investigation  as  Miss  Burton  and  some  of  you  have,  and  I  draw  my 
conclusions  from  other  sources ;  but  surely,  wherever  wages  of  girls 
particularly,  and  women,  are  under  seven  or  eight  dollars  a  week,  or 
whatever  might  be  determined  upon  in  certain  localities  as  being  below 
a  living  wage,  there  ought  to  be  some  way  that  society  could  provide 
for  better  remuneration.  A  number  of  statistics,  of  course,  are  avail- 
able along  that  line. 

The  Massachusetts  case  occurs  to  me  just  now;  with  respect  to  gar- 
ment workers  and  those  who  work  in  laundries,  from  thirty  to  fifty 
per  cent  of  them  receive  more  or  less  charitable  assistance  during  the 
year.  Now,  society  has  to  provide  for  them  through  charitable  means, 
if  you  call  it  philanthropy  with  a  minimum  wage,  and  they  are  cer- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  203 


la  inly  more  self-respecting  individuals  if  they  do  not  have  to  go  to  the 
public  or  private  charitable  agency. 

Wo  certainly  have  some  responsibility.  I  do  not  believe  that  the 
consuming  public  ought  to  be  subsidized  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  workers, 
particularly  when  the  majority  of  the  consuming  public  are  able  to 
pav  better"  prices,  and  the  prices  will  be  raised  insofar  as  the  cost  is 
increased. 

PROVIDING    WORK    FOR   THE   INEFFICIENT. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Mr.  Dunford,  your  idea  would  be 
I  hen,  the  government  or  state  might  better  provide  institutions  for  the 
inefficient,  in  which  they  could  earn  a  livelihood  in  an  honorable  way, 
rather  than  that  the  taxpayer  should  be  taxed  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
them  in  a  charitable  way? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  I  don't  know  that  my  idea  is  quite  that  socialis- 
tic. Some  such  provision  might  be  made  in  the  law,  as  is  provided  in 
the  laws  of  other  states.  Through  the  wages  board  or  through  the 
wages  commission  they  might  be  permitted  to  receive  a  lower  wage  than 
the  minimum  which  is  set.  Of  course,  maybe  you  know,  John  Bates 
(Mark,  in  a  paper  he  wrote  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly  a  year  ago  last 
September,  suggested  that  to  provide  for  the  unemployable  class,  it 
would  be  an  excellent  opportunity  for  socialism  to  be  tried  out.  I 
don't  think  he  made  that  statement  facetiously  either,  but  I  don't  know 
in  my  own  view  point  that  I  would  go  that  far. 

THE    MOST  VITAL   FACTORS. 

In   connection   with  the  question   "As  certain  factors  determine  the 
e  of  wages  which  any  individual  worker,  or  group  of  workers  receive, 
hich  of  the  following  are  the  most  important?"     I  think  probably  we 
agree  that  the  first  three  factors  that  are  mentioned  there,  that  is,  "Num- 
ber  of  workers   available";   "Efficiency  of  the   worker";   "Standard  of 
living";  are  the  most  vital  at  any  rate.    Particularly  the  first  one,  and 
the  second  one,  and  the  third  one,  that  affects  the  first  one. 

MR,  CARLTON:  Isn't  it  true,  that  the  higher  the  standard  of  liv- 
ing, the  lower  the  birth  rate? 

MR.   DUNFORD:     Yes,  there  is  something  in  that  of  course. 
MR.  CARLTON:     Where  would  you  put   organization    of   employes? 
Would  you  not  put  that  Avell  up  in  the  list? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  Well,  I  think  so,  that  is  between  the  limits  I 
think  I  should  put  it. 

MR.  CARLTON :  Well,  don't  you  think  that  the  number  of  workers 
available  fixes  the  limits,  or  is  that  factor  of  fixing  the  wage  between  the 
limits? 

MR.  DUNFORD :    I  believe  it  has  considerable  to  do  with  fixing  the 
it. 

OMMISSlOMvH  WALKER:     What  we  are  taught    to    believe    is 
hat  every   able-bodied  man   is  an   asset  to  the  community;  every  im- 
migrant that  comes  to  this  country  has  his  day's  work  in  him,  and  is 
adding  to  the  wealth  of  the  nation;  every  child  born  is  an  asset.     Is 
t  unsound? 


thai 


204  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

ME.  DUNFORD:  Well  insofar  as  being  a  producer,  he  does  add  to 
the  wealth,  but  at  the  same  time  it  is  possible  to  add  to  the  total  wealth 
and  cut  down  the  average  productivity  of  the  group  in  which  he  comes. 
No  one  can  be  considered  an  asset  who  produces  less  than  he  consumes. 

WHAT  EMPLOYERS   SAY. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Employers  say  that  a  minimum  wage 
for  women  is  not  practical,  but  they  raise  this  general  point:  Women 
are  inefficient;  they  are  poor  employes,  and  a  minimum  wage  for  them 
would  be  a  hardship  to  the  employer  because  women  are  not  perma- 
nent workers;  they  are  looking  forward  to  matrimony;  they  expect  to 
be  engaged  for  a  little  while  in  the  work, — therefore  they  are  inefficient, 
transient;  they  are  unsatisfactory  from  every  point  of  view  as  workers, 
and  suggest  that  as  a  reason  why  they  are  not  paid  better  wages,  and 
why  a  minimum  wage  that  should  give  them  any  substantial  increase 
in  wage,  would  drive  them  out  of  employment,  and  be  a  hardship  for 
the  employer.  I  think  that  has  been  the  thing  most  commonly  urged 
by  employers  as  against  efficiency  and  desirability  of  women  labor  and 
practicability  of  minimum  wage.  Can  anything  be  said  along  that 
line? 

MR.  DOW:  Isn't  the  present  condition  worse  than  any  hardship 
which  might  be  brought  about  by  minimum  wage? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  If  that  wage  were  applied  to  a  local  industry, 
for  instance,  suppose  we  take  the  laundries  of  this  city.  I  am  unable 
to  see  how  they  would  be  driven  out  of  business, — even  though  the  prices 
were  raised.  How  many  would  be  driven  out  of  business,  even  though 
the  prices  were  raised?  The  consuming  public  would  have  to  pay  a 
little  higher  prices.  This  would  be  the  case  with  all  goods,  the  demand 
for  which  is  relatively  inelastic.  In  other  words,  my  conviction  is  that 
the  public  should  not  be  subsidized  to  the  sacrifice  of  the  workers.  Now 
competition  would  simply  be  raised  to  a  higher  plane. 

THE    STANDARD    OF    LIVING. 

I  was  going  to  explain  in  relation  to  the  standard  of  living  a  little 
more  clearly.  I  do  not  mean  by  that  the  amount  paid  anyone,  sum  of 
money  they  get,  but  their  ideals  of  living;  where  the  ideals  of  life  are 
high,  and  the  rate  paid  is  low,  as  it  is  among  us  college  professors  who 
marry  late  in  life  and  the  number  of  children  in  the  family  is  small ; 
on  the  other  hand  you  will  find,  I  think  that  with  the  working  class  of 
people,  the  laboring  class,  machinists,  etc.,  the  rate  of  pay  is  fairly  good ; 
some  classes  of  machinists  receive  as  much  as  we  do,  yet  their  standard 
of  life  is  lower,  and  you  will  find  the  number  of  children  per  family 
greater.  That  is  what  I  meant  by  that.  That  is  why  I  say  that  bears 
particularly  upon  the  number  of  workers  available.  This  is  in  accord 
with  the  Malthusian  proposition  concerning  preventitive  checks, 

As  to  the  organization  of  employers, — we  all  know  in  regard  to 
organizations,  where  they  are  as  thorough  as  in  the  Brotherhood  of  Loco- 
motive Engineers  and  Firemen,  that  they  get  just  about  whatever  they 
want  whenever  they  want  it,  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  other  employes  in 
the  industry.  It  takes  really  more  preparation  to  become  efficient  as  a 
station  agent  and  telegraph  operator  than  to  be  a  brakernan,  as  many 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


205 


n-akemeu  are  recruited  from  those  who  have  had  very  little  educational 
reparation;  they  spend  very  little  money  for  educational  training,  and 
ret  immediately  their  salary  is  forty  to  sixty  dollars  a  month,  more  than 
the  telegraph  operator,  whose  preparation  has  been  longer. 

MR.  DOWEIE:  Does  not  the  dangers  and  hardships  connected  with 
their  occupation  account  for  this  difference?  That,  of  course,  should 
taken  into  consideration. 

MR.  DUNFORD:     I  do  not  believe  they  take  it  into  consideration. 

don't  think  they  would  have  to  be  paid  that  much  more  in  order  to  be 
induced  to  become  engineers  or  brakemen.  Their  advantage  seems  to 
irise  from  the  thoroughness  of  their  organization  which  is  due  in  part 
it  least  to  the  proximity  of  their  relations  at  terminal  points. 

PIOW   CAN   WAGES  BE    RAISED? 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     Since    wages    are    inadequate,    as   it 
mis  quite  largely  agreed  here,  how  are  you  going  to  raise  them  ? 
MR.  DUNFORD :    I  believe  you  asked  me  that  question.     Personally, 
believe  in  a  minimum  wage  law.    I  do  not  believe  it  could  be  done  in  a 
idical  manner;  that  the  wage  could    be   raised  fifty  per  cent,  without 
listurbing  considerably  the  economic  conditions,  but  I  believe  the  wage 
lay  be  raised  from  six  dollars  to  eight  dollars,  in  that  proportion.     I 
>fer  particularly  to  the  wages  of  women,  without  materially  disturbing 
!onomic  conditions,  and  as  I  pointed  out  sometime  ago,  there  might 
some  rise  in  the  cost  of  living.     I  do  not  believe  it  would  be  great 
lough  to  materially  disturb  the  present  economic  conditions.     Econo- 
lists  point  out,  in  that  connection,  that  when  you  increase  the  cost  of 
>roduction,  where  there  is  a  perfect  competitive  condition,  where  prices 
ire  equal  to  cost  of  production,    including   fair   profit, — when  you  in- 
crease the  cost  of  production  by  increasing  the  wage,  that  prices  must 
lecessarily  rise.    Either  that,  or  part  of  the  profit  the  employer  has  been 
>tting,  will  be  impaired,  or  will  be  cut  off,  or  else  interest  rates  will 
lave  to  fall.    In  either  case,  the  theorist  points  out  that  there  would 
a  decided  effect  upon  industry.    If  interest  rates  fall,  capital  will  not 
accumulated  in  the  same  proportion  as  accumulated  in  the  past,  and 
therefore  business  in  general  will  be  imperiled ;  or,  on  the  other  hand,  if 
>rofits  are  cut  down  investments  will  no  longer  take  place  as  in  the  past. 
y  point  of  view  is  that  neither  would  accumulation  of  capital  be  affected 
any  great  degree,  nor  would  profits  be  impaired  to  any  great  degree, 
;ause  of  more  efficiency  of  workers,  and  more  efficiency  in  business  or- 
ganization.    I  believe  there  can  be  more  efficiency. 

LEVELING/  WAGES. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  is  another  point  here  to  bring  out.  In  spite 
the  opportunity  of  obtaining  a  higher  wage  than  the  minimum,  I  be- 
ieve  there  would  be  some  leveling  of  wages,  and  that  could  be  done  with- 
mt  impairing  the  efficiency  of  the  industrial  process  by  the  lowering  of 
wage  of  the  laborer  who  is  receiving  considerably  higher  wage  now 
lan  the  poorest  laborer.  Leveling  down  the  high  wage-earner  at  the 
>resent  time,  and  that  could  be  added  to  the  poorest,  without  affecting 
*ie  industrial  process. 


206  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     Would  that  make  for  efficiency? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  I  do  not  think  that  would  be  particularly  detri- 
mental, and  I  believe  it  is  bound  to  come.  It  might  make  for  a  little 
less  effort  on  the  part  of  the  higher  paid.  It  would  not  materially  affect 
the  industry  if  it  made  for  more  effort,  that  is,  for  higher  efficiency  than 
the  poor  wage-earner  has  now.  There  is  a  tendency,  of  course,  for  work- 
men not  to  be  any  more  efficient  than  need  be  to  retain  their  positions. 

MR.  CARLTON:  Is  it  possible,  that  your  theory,  that  the  higher 
wage  rates  are  pulled  down,  comes  from  the  fact  that  when  labor  unions 
establish  a  minimum  wage,  that  is  what  actually  happens? 

MR.  DUNFORD:  No,  I  don't  think  it  does.  I  think  that  is  when 
labor  unions  establish  the  fixed  wage,  or  higher  wage. 

MR.  CARLTON:  Would  it  operate  in  the  same  way  when  you  es- 
tablish it  by  law? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  The  Australian  experience  is  that  the  very  fact  of 
fixing  a  minimum  wage  tends  to  greater  organization.  I  am  dealing 
with  men  in  this  particular  case.  I  do  not  believe  it  wrould  be  as  easy 
to  organize  women  as  it  is  men.  Men  are  more  mobile  and  can  be  or- 
ganized easier,  and  that  is  one  reason  why  a  minimum  wage  is  not  neces- 
sary for  men  at  the  present  time. 

THE  HIGHER  PAID  EMPLOYES    MAY   SUFFER. 

The  pressure  brought  to  bear  upon  the  employer  through  the  fixing  of 
a  minimum  will  have  a  tendency  to  cause  him  to  cut  dowrn  the  wages  of 
the  higher  paid,  or  at  any  rate  to  be  less  liberal  in  increases  to  the 
higher  paid.  The  employer,  to  keep  on  his  feet  in  competition  with  other 
employers,  instead  of  raising  his  prices,  will,  in  order  to  keep  on  a  plane 
of  competition, — attempt  to  bring  the  two,  i.  e.,  high  wage  and  low  wage, 
together  more  or  less,  and  that  is  what  has  happened  in  Australia,  but 
there  is  the  intervening  factor  of  better  organization.  The  Australian 
statistics  show  there  has  not  been  a  uniform  leveling,  by  any  means. 
This  is  taken  from  the  report  of  the  Wage  Board  and  Industrial  Commis- 
sion of  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  by  Aves,  in  1908.  In  clothing  fac- 
tories, 146  women  received  the  minimum,  and  44  received  more  than  the 
minimum.  That  indicates  only  there  was  no  uniform  leveling.  Really 
there  is  bound  to  be  more  or  less  competition  for  more  efficient  men 
among  employers.  The  chances  are  just  as  favorable,  almost  as  favor- 
able, for  their  receiving  greater  remuneration  under  minimum  wage 
as  they  are  now,  and  yet  there  would  be  that  tendency  of  the  employer 
to  a  sort  of  leveling  of  wages  in  order  to  retain  his  profit  and  his  place 
in  the  competitive  market. 

THE    DANGER   NOT   GREAT. 

MR.  CARLTON :  It  seems  there  would  not  be  much  danger  of  pulling 
down  wrages  unless1  dealing  with  monopolized  articles. 

MR.  DOW:  Even  if  there  were,  would  that  be  especially  true  among 
women,  wrhere  the  workers  move  faster  and  go  out  of  occupation ;  would 
that  be  bad  if  they  had  a  higher  minimum  for  all  to  reach,  wouldn't 
that  be  a  condition  in  general? 

MR.  DUNFORD:     It  would  be    conducive    to  efficiency.     I  think  it 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  207 

would  be  an  improvement  over  present  conditions.  Organized  labor 
functions  that  way.  It  tends  to  level. 

MB.  DOWBIE:  Another  1'nctor  thai  would  enter  in  would  be  the 
opportunity  for  these  efficient  people  to  get  employment  elsewhere  it 
the  employer  had  a  monopoly  on  that  sort  of  work.  The  more  efficient 
people  would  be  more  at  his  mercy. 

MB.  CABLTON:  However,  if  he  were  a  keen  monopolist,  he  would 
do  that  whether  the  minimum  wage  were  in  force  or  not. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  Have  you  worked  out  any  idea  of  what 
can  be  done? 

THE    MINIMUM    WAGE   A   GOOD   PLAN. 

MB.  DUNFOBD :  It  seems  to  me  such  plan  as  the  minimum  wage  is 
as  good  as  can  be  done;  with  the  provision  that  after  the  wages  board  has 
determined  that  some  of  the  workmen  are  really  "under  efficient,"  and 
cannot  earn  the  minimum  wage,  that  these  "under  efficient"  be  permitted 
to  work  at  a  certain  fixed  rate,  which  should  be  determined  by  them, 
i.  e.,  wages  board  and  the  employer,  lower  than  minimum,  with  the  pos- 
sibility of  increase  by  the  board  upon  the  theory  of  the  maintenance  of 
the  self-respect  of  the  individual.  The  procedure  under  this  plan  would 
certainly  have  a  tendency  to  check  the  exploitation  of  women  by  un- 
scrupulous employers. 

COMMISSIONEB  WALKEB:     Better  yet,  to  make  them  efficient. 

INDUSTRIAL  EDUCATION. 

MB.  DUNFOBD :  Yes,  of  course  there  is  the  scheme  of  industrial 
education,  which  we  are  not  doing  here,  but  have  in  Germany,  where 
they  have  Continuation  Schools. 

MB.  CABLTON:     They  have  them  in  Wisconsin  on  a  small  scale. 

MB.  DUNFOBD :  Yes,  but  for  a  number  of  years  they  have  had  in 
Germany,  Continuation  Schools,  where  youths,  after  getting  their  usual 
schooling,  have  received  further  instruction,  on  certain  evenings,  and 
thus  have  continued  their  theoretical  studies  along  with  practical  work ; 
it  is  compulsory. 

MB.  CABLTON:  In  Wisconsin,  the  boys  are  allowed  five  hours  a 
week  for  school  work.  They  are  allowed  to  work  between  the  ages  of 
fourteen  and  sixteen,  allowed  to  work  43  hours  a  week,  and  spend  five 
hours  in  school,  and  this  time  is  paid  for  by  the  employer.  That  has 
been  in  operation  about  two  years.  So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn 
through  articles  I  have  read, — the  law  is  held  to  be  desirable.  But  I 
have  not  seen  any  definite  statement  as  to  the  result.  It  has  not  been 
in  operation  long  enough. 

MB.  DOWBIE:  I  think  we  have  to  differentiate  as  to  the  inefficient 
workers.  If  it  is  because  people  are  under-paid, — we  ought  to  have 
some  system  of  vocational  education.  If  they  are  physically  unfit  they 
ought  to  be  given  medical  attention  and  special  work  to  do  and  not 
serve  as  the  prey  of  employers  in  parasitical  industries;  if  they  are  men- 
tally unfit  we  ought  to  have  institutions  to  look  after  them. 


208  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON  i 

THE  NORMAL  PLACE  FOR  A  WOMAN. 

The  normal  place  for  a  woman  is  not  in  a  parasitical  industry,  but  in 
the  home,  and  the  normal  status  of  a  man  is  that  of  the  bread-winner,  and 
that  must  be  taken  into  account,  even  though  some  women  will  always 
be  compelled  to  make  a  living. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  The  normal  condition  changes.  The 
number  of  families  that  depend  upon  women  is  greater  than  it  has  been, 
and  the  normal  condition  is  shifting  to  a  certain  extent  to  the  other 
side. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  I  do  not  believe  any  woman  with  children  ought 
to  be  anywhere  except  in  the  home.  That  is  her  place,  and  she  is  doing 
society  a  greater  service  in  caring  for  her  children  and  bringing  them 
up  as  they  should  be  brought  up,  than  if  she  works  in  a  factory.  I 
think  the  welfare  of  the  community  demands  that  it  be  made  possible 
for  her  to  stay  at  home,  rather  than  that  she  should  take  a  man's  place 
in  earning  a,  living. 

MR.  GARLTON:  There  is  another  thing  to  be  said  on  that.  In 
the  first  place,  she  is  more  liable  to  sickness,  and  she  does  not  stay  as 
long  in  the  industry,  and  as  a  rule  is  not  quite  as  interested.  A  num- 
of  things  of  that  nature  might  be  mentioned. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  Insofar  as  she  produces  as  much,  there  is  no  rea- 
son why  she  should  not  receive  as  much  as  a  man.  That  is,  it  would 
not  affect  the  industry  to  any  great  extent  if  she  did  receive  as  much, 
but  the  question  has  a  greater  bearing  than  simply  as  an  economic 
one. 

(Adjournment  was  taken  to  7:30  p.  m.  Mr.  Carlton  asked  to  be  ex- 
cused from  further  participation  in  the  meeting,  to  enable  him  to  take 
the  train,  which  request  was  granted.) 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  We  are  once  more  ready  to  listen  to  any- 
thing our  visitors  may  say. 

PROFESSOR  DOWRIE  AND  THE  MINIMUM  WAGE. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  I  was  particularly  interested  in  the  question  asked 
the  Commission  by  a  manufacturer,  as  to  what  the  status  of  our  wage- 
earners  should  be.  Should  they  be  a  factor  in  the  productive  process 
along  with  the  capitalist,  the  entrepreneur,  and  landlord,  or  should  we 
expect  society  to  support  the  laboring  people,  and  have  the  laboring- 
people  understand  that  it  is  their  special  privilege  to  be  fed  and  clothed 
by  society.  It  would  certainly  take  all  the  self-respect  out  of  any  group 
in  our  industrial  system  to  let  that  idea  become  prevalent  among  them. 

I  think  we  ought  to  keep  our  hands  off  of  the  productive  and  dis- 
tributive processes  just  as  far  as  we  can.  I  do  not  believe  in  governmental 
interference,  except  as  it  seems  to  be  necessary.  Let  each  factor  do  his 
part  in  contributing  to  the  product,  and  receive  his  share,  and  let  the 
government  interfere  in  the  business  only  where  it  sees  that  manifestly 
some  factor  engaged  is  not  getting  a  square  deal. 

I  believe  that  in  the  case  of  most  men  workers  we  will  all  agree  that 
collective  bargaining  will  help  them  to  take  care  of  themselves  pretty 
well;  that  in  the  more  skilled  occupations,  at  any  rate,  the  men,  by 
organization,  can  bargain  with  employers,  and  there  is  no  need  of  gov- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  209 


emmental  interference,  but  when  it  comes  to  some  occasional  indus- 
tries, which  are  commonly  characterized  as  parasitic,  the  government 
has  to  step  in. 

I  believe  that  I,  as  a  consumer,  ought  to  pay  more  for  my  goods  if 
present  prices  are  maintained  by  grinding  the  lives  out  of  women  or 
child  workers.  Neither  should  the  employer  derive  an  abnormal  profit 
because  of  these  wrong  conditions.  In  either  case  I  think  it  is  time  to 
interfere  in  behalf  of  the  worker,  but  I  do  not  believe  the  government 
should  attempt  to  fix  wages,  either  directly  by  legislation,  or  through 
the  appointment  of  a  commission,  unless  it  is  clearly  manifest  that  the 
workers  are  not  able  to  take  care  of  themselves  in  bargaining  with  the 
employer. 

I  believe  that  the  point  was  pretty  well  brought  out  this  afternoon, 
that  in  some  industries  women  have  proven  themselves  unable  to  fight 
their  own  battles,  and  have  been  compelled  to  give  their  services  to 
industry  without  getting  a  reward  sufficient  to  enable  them  to  live 
decently.  That  is  one  of  the  cases  where  I  think  governmental  inter- 
ference is  justifiable. 

I  am  in  accord  with  Professor  Carlton's  idea  that  we  cannot  meas- 
ure the  true  value  of  the  service  which  anybody  renders,  and  do  so  in 
a  way  that  will  please  all  parties  concerned,  but  I  do  believe  we  can 
tell  whether  a  person  is  receiving  enough  money  to  live  decently,  and 
if  he  is  not,  it  is  a  case  where  the  government  is  justified  in  stepping  in. 

THE  TRUE   VALUE   OF  SERVICES  RENDERED. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  From  the  standpoint  of  economics,  is 
there  a  definite  answer  to  the  question  of  what  is  the  true  value  of 
services  rendered,  measured  in  wages? 

MR.  DOWRIE:  If  we  assume  a  purely  competitive  regime  the  an- 
swer is  that  each  person  tends  to  receive  for  his  product  an  amount 
equivalent  both  to  the  marginal  utility  or  significance  of  that  product, 
and  the  cost  of  producing  it;  that  is,  the  disutility  he  has  undergone 
in  contributing  his  share  of  the  product.  But,  as  Mr.  Oarlton  said,  we 
do  not  have  free  and  perfect  competition.  There  is  much  economic 
friction,  and  there  is  the  tendency  toward  monopoly,  on  the  side  of 
both  capital  and  labor,  so  that  it  is  hard  to  find  out  just  when  a  man 
is  getting  value  received  for  his  services.  I  often  wish  we  could  tie 
up  the  disturbing  factors  just  to  see  how  the  thing  works  out  un- 
disturbed, but  of  course  it  is  impossible. 

i 


NEED    OF    LABOR    ORGANIZATIONS. 


As  to  the  third  question  "If  present  wages  in  general,  or  for  any 
particular  group  of  workers,  are  inadequate,  can  they  be  raised?" — I 
believe  they  can  be.  but  as  I  stated  earlier,  I  do  not  believe  that  govern- 
mental action  should  be  taken  if  the  workers  can  take  care  of  them- 
selves. I  believe  that  it  adds  to  the  self-respect  of  any  factor  in  pro- 
duction, to  be  able  to  handle  his  own  case,  if  possible.  Raising  wages 
by  the  process  of  education,  of  course  is  a  very  slow,  uncertain  method ; 
I  believe  that  by  vocational  training  of  the  young  and  by  efforts  to 
supplement  what  training  the  older  workers  have,  without  taking  them 
27 


210  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION   OP  INQUIRY  ON 

away  from  their  employment,  we  can  do  something,  but  of  course  that 
is  not  going  to  be  a  quick  and  effective  remedy  for  present  evils. 

I  hope  that  when  we  have  wage  boards  in  the  different  states,  and 
the  working  women  are  permitted  to  be  represented  on  those  boards 
and  to  have  representatives  appear  before  them,  that  it  will  bring  about 
organization.  My  impression  is  that  it  has  been  practically  impossible 
to  organize  women  in  the  parasitical  industries,  and  for  thai  reason 
there  needs  to  be  some  common  bond  such  as  preparing  a  case  for  a 
wage  board  in  order  to  help  them  to  act  as  a  unit. 

As  for  the  question,  "If  governmental  action  is  desirable  for  women 
and  minors,  is  the  best  form  the  establishment  of  a  Minimum  Wage"? 
I  think  the  minimum  wage  is  just  a  part  of  other  measures  which  seem 
necessary  in  order  to  protect  helpless  working  people,  especially  women 
and  children,  from  serving  as  the  prey  of  unscrupulous  employers.  A 
number  of  our  states  have  enacted  laws  regulating  women  and  child 
labor,  established  sanitary  conditions,  etc.,  and  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
minimum  wage  is  no  more  radical  and  startling  than  these  other  meas- 
ures. 

MAKE    MINIMUM    WAGE   LAW   COMPULSORY. 

"Should  Minimum  Wage,  if  adopted,  be  made  compulsory,  or  if  not, 
how  shall  observance  be  secured"?:  The  Massachusetts  publicity  plan 
is  usually  contrasted  with  the  plan  of  levying  a  fine,  i.  e.,  making  it 
a  criminal  offense  for  the  employer  to  violate  the  orders  of  the  wage 
board  or  the  decree  of  the  legislature.  It  seems  to  me  that  publicity 
has  little  effect  upon  a  man  who  is  thick-skinned  enough  to  take  advant- 
age of  women  and  children,  and  I  believe  you  get  the  publicity  and  the 
punishment  that  goes  with  it  when  you  prosecute  a  man,  so  that  if 
there  is  any  virtue  in  publicity,  you  get  it,  plus  whatever  good  comes 
from  levying  a  fine. 

As  for  the  next  question,  "What  effect  would  a  "Minimum  Wage  estab- 
lished by  statute  have?"  I  believe  that  the  workers  would  be  more 
efficient.  I  believe  that  women  who  do  not  receive  proper  sustenance  and 
who  have  so  little  money  to  spend  on  recreation  and  amusement,  cannot 
do  their  best  work,  and  that  the  added  wage  will  help  raise  their  effi- 
ciency. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Would  there  be  any  tendency,  on  the 
part  of  the  workers,  to  feel  that  having  a  minimum  wage  assured,  they 
did  not  need  to  put  forth  so  much  effort  to  hold  their  jobs? 

MR.  DOWRIE:  No,  I  do  not  believe  so.  I  believe  that  it  would 
create  a  livelier  interest  in  their  work.  There  is  nothing  so  discouraging 
as  to  have  to  drag  out  your  existence  on  starvation  wages,  and  I  think 
the  case  was  cited  of  the  Ford  works,  where  the  very  fact  that  they  were 
receiving  more  pay  has  resulted  in  the  men  doing  better  work. 

THE   STIMULUS   OP  FEAR. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Can  you  tell  us  some  potent  process 
by  which  employes  can  be  made,  not  eye  servants  merely,  but  faithful 
servants  who  make  the  interest  of  the  employers  one  of  their  own? 

MR.  DOWRIE :    My  experience  has  been  that  the  fear  of  dismissal  is 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  211 

about  the  most  powerful  stimulus  to  right  doing  in  most  of  our  large 
establishments. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  I  think  Ruskin  said,  that  he  who 
works  for  the  fee  alone  is  the  servant  of  the  Lord  of  the  fee,  who  is  the 
devil  himself,  but  he  who  knows  he  must  have  the  fee  to  live,  and  feels  it 
his  due,  yet  works  for  the  work's  sake,  is  the  servant  of  the  lord  of  work, 
who  is  the  Lord  God  Almighty  Himself.  I  wish  there  was  some  way  of 
making  men  and  women  believe  that  the  best  service  is  service  over  and 
above  the  fee  merely,  and  that  they  are  benefiting  themselves  as  well  as 
benefiting  the  employer  if  they  do  good  honest  work,  regardless  of 
whether  the  employer  knows  it  or  not. 

EMPLOYERS,    PROFITS,    WAGES,    EFFICIENCY. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  As  to  the  effect  of  a  minimum  wage  upon  the  em- 
ployer, I  should  think  that  employers  who  had  depended  for  their  suc- 
cess in  business  upon  exploitation  of  women  and  children,  would  per- 
haps be  driven  out.  If  the  sole  justification  for  their  being  in  business, 
is  the  fact  that  they  cannot  make  a  success  out  of  it  except  by  using 
under-paid  labor,  I  do  not  see  how  they  could  stay  in  business  if  they 
paid  a  decent  wage;  unless  it  were  possible  for  them  to  change  their  way 
of  doing  business  very  radically. 

If  an  employer  had  been  making  excessive  profits,  I  believe  he  would 
be  compelled  to  reduce  those  profits.  If  all  employers  had  been  serving 
the  public  more  cheaply  because  of  cheap  labor,  then  the  increase  would 
be  forced  back  upon  the  consumer,  and  why  should  not  the  consumer 
pay  what  the  product  is  worth,  in  terms  of  the  sacrifice  which  these 
women  have  made? 

As  to  the  opportunity  of  obtaining  a  higher  wage  than  the  minimum, 
it  all  depends  upon  the  extent  to  which  the  employer  monopolizes  the 
employment  in  that  line.  If  there  are  other  places-  to  which  the  more 
efficient  laborers  could  go,  they  would  not  have  to  submit  to  a  reduction 
of  their  wages  to  the  minimum. 

As  to  the  inefficient,  I  think  I  expressed  myself  fully  on  that  this 
afternoon;  that  there  are  different  kinds  of  inefficient  people,  and  each 
ought  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  the  peculiarities  of  the  case. 

As  to  irregularity  of  employment,  I  believe  the  point  has  been  brought 
out  that  the  persons  most  irregularly  employed  are  those  who  are  receiv- 
ing the  smallest  wages. 

As  to  liberty  of  action,  some  one  has  said  that  every  man's  liberty  of 
action  extends  as  far  as  his  neighbor's  toes  and  I  think  that  applies  well 
here;  if  by  having  liberty  of  action,  I  tread  on  my  neighbor's  toes,  then 
my  liberty  of  action  ought  to  be  curtailed. 

I  think  I  have  covered  most  of  the  points  here.  I  shall  be  very  glad 
to  answer  other  questions. 

THE   STATE   MUST  DEAL   WITH  THE  INEFFICIENT. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER :  The  nightmare  to  me  is  the  inefficient, 
and  what  is  going  to  happen  to  them,  whether  we  do  or  do  not  have  min- 
imum wage,  and  what  is  the  duty  of  the  public  in  making  them  more 
efficient,  and  does  the  private  employer,  the  large  employer  of  women 


212  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

labor,  owe  any  duty  to  his  employes  in  the  line  of  training  for  efficiency? 
I  wish  you  would  make  some  suggestion  along  these  lines. 

ME.  DOWRIE :  I  do  not  believe  it  can  safely  be  left  to  the  philan- 
thropic disposition  of  the  individual  employer.  I  think  it  is  necessary 
for  some  action  to  be  taken  by  the  State,  and  it  ought  to  be  made  pos- 
sible for  every  boy,  every  normal  boy,  to  stay  in  school. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     Talk  about  the  girl. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  Well,  the  normal  girl  or  boy  ought  to  receive  suffi- 
cient training  to  enable  her  or  him  to  be  a  skillful  worker,  and  that  of 
course  involves  other  social  legislation ;  it  involves-  keeping  boys  in  school 
when  the  parents  feel  they  should  be  helping  to  support  the  family.  It 
involves  providing  a  vocational  education  for  our  boys  and  girls. 

LATITUDE    NEEDED    IN   TEACHING. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  I  would  like  to  suggest  that  I  notice 
quite  a  number  of  young  boys  who  are  very  poor  students-,  and  it  seems 
foolish  to  attempt  to  teach  them  spelling  even  some  of  the  common  words 
in  our  language.  I  notice  girls,  one  in  our  school,  who  it  would  be 
foolish  to  send  to  the  public  school.  The  time  would  be  wasted.  No 
ambition.  She  is  a  beautiful  child,  and  it  seems  to  me*  that  the  teacher 
should  have  the  power  under  the  law  to  exercise  discretion  to  teach  the 
child  along  the  line  of  the  kind  of  training  such  child  should  receive,  so 
that  she  might  be  efficient — what  could  not  be  called  school  knowledge. 
I  know  of  many  boys  who  it  would  be  simply  foolish  to  keep  in  school, 
and  it  would  be  far  better  to  teach  them  some  simple  line  of  business  or 
otherwise,  that  they  could  make  themselves  efficient,  regardless  of  book 
learning. 

MR.  DOW:  Isn't  it  true,  if  you  give  them  proper  education  in  the 
school  they  can  acquire  education  enough  to  be  able  to  read  and  figure 
out  accounts? 

MR.  DOWRIE:  Often  physical  examination  has  revealed  defects 
which  could  be  cured,  and  thus  a  child  would  be  enabled  to  learn.  Often 
a  child  has  fallen  behind  at  school  without  the  parents  or  teacher  dis- 
covering that  his  eyes  were  in  very  poor  condition,  and  it  seemed  im- 
possible for  him  to  study,  but  after  a  careful  examination  and  treat- 
ment, that  defect  was  removed.  Often  the  removal  of  tonsils  and  ade- 
noids has  enabled  the  child  to  keep  up  with  his  class  in  school. 

MR.  DOW:  I  understand  Theodore  Roosevelt  was  very  backward  in 
school  on  account  of  his  eyes  when  he  was-  a  boy. 

PROFESSOR  WEISMAN  AND  THE   MINIMUM  WAGE. 

MR.  WEISMAN :  I  am  opposed  to  minimum  wage  legislation.  There 
is  only  one  exception  to  that  statement,  and  I  will  give  you  the  exception 
and  come  back  to  tell  why  I  think  we  should  not  try  to  fix  the  rates  of 
wages  by  legislation.  In  the  case  of  laboring  people  working  at  piece 
rates  throughout  the  year,  it  seems  that  we  ought  to  have  some  standard 
by  which  the  same  (set)  would  receive  substantially  the  same  rate  day 
in  and  day  out.  That  is  to  say,  that  if  the  worker  working  at  so  much 
per  piece,  can  get  one  dollar  some  days,  there  is  no  reason  why  she 
should  not  earn  a  dollar  every  day.  Now  the  carelessness  of  the  em- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISI>ATION  FOR  WOMEN.  213 

plover  sometimes  make  it  impossible  for  her  to  get  material  close  at 
hand,  and  thus  her  wage  fluctuates  week  in  and  week  out. 

There  is  one  thing  the  State  ought  to  do,  and  that  is  to  establish  a 
minimum  day  rate  for  such  piece-work.  If  she  is  generally  able  to  make 
one  dollar,  that  ought  to  be  the  minimum  as  a  day  rate,  and  if  she  be- 
comes more  efficient  and  earns  a  dollar  and  a  quarter,  or  a  dollar  and  a 
half,  she  ought  to  get  that. 

I  had  a  case  in  mind  that  came  to  my  attention  last  spring,  of  a  man 
unloading  coal  in  a  railroad  yard.  It  would  happen  every  other  week 
that,  in  shifting  the  cars  around,  and  putting  them  in  an  unfavorable 
position,  the  man  would  have  to  shovel  coal  several  yards,  and  the  next 
week,  simply  shovel  it  out  of  the  car  into  the  chute.  The  weekly  earn- 
ings of  a  man  in  that  situation  are  very  uncertain,  and  it  seems  to  me  if 
we  could  by  law  enact  a  minimum  day  rate  for  a  man  or  woman  work- 
ing on  piece-work,  so  that  their  weekly  earnings  would  be  assured, 
having  in  mind  about  what  the  average  person  could  do  if  the  employer 
were  progressive  and  scientific  enough  in  his  methods.  That  is  the  only 
case  where  I  would  favor  a  minimum  wage  enacted  by  legislation. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  How  would  you  enforce  the  law?  How 
would  you  apply  it?  When  would  we  know  when  he  was  entitled  to  the 
minimum  wage,  when,  because  of  the  inefficiency  of  others,  he  had  been 
prevented  from  earning  it,  and  when  would  we  know  he  was  not  entitled 
to  it  from  his  own  inefficiency? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  The  employers  might  take  advantage  of  that;  I  sus- 
pect they  would;  but  if  there  are  a  number  of  workers  in  that  place,  they 
know  substantially  when  an  employer  is  giving  a  square  deal  and  when 
not.  Of  course  it  is  possible  that  a  man  may  say  that  it  is  the  fault  of 
the  employer  that  he  cannot  earn  a  regular  piece  wage  daily,  but  you 
could  not  find  a  group  of  workers,  working  together,  who  could  be  dis- 
honest for  a  great  length  of  time.  You  might  have  one  dishonest  man, 
but  he  would  have  a  great  many  others  working  with  him  who  would 
be  able  to  pass  an  honest  judgment  on  that. 

MINIMUM    WAGE    LAW    DIFFERS    FROM    SANITATION    LAWS. 

Now  going  back  to  the  question  of  minimum  wage  from  the  point  of 
view  of  Professor  Carlton,  who  began  his  discussion  on  this  question  by 
saying  that  in  his  opinion  the  minimum  wage  should  be  placed  on  the 
same  basis  as  sanitation  and  that  sort  of  thing.  I  do  not  think  so  at  all 
for  this  reason:  An  eight  hour  day  is  an  eight  hour  day,  and  has  been 
since  1874 — since  1774,  and  the  question  of  protection  and  sanitation  is 
the  same  as  time  goes  on,  but  a  minimum  wage  is  an  entirely  different 
thing  today  than  it  was  even  in  1890,  because  the  wage  of  the  indi- 
vidual is  his  real  wage  and  not  his  money  wage,  and  there  is  always,  this 
constant  dickering  about  what  the  average  real  wage  of  a  laborer  is, 
and  there  is  that  difficulty  in  the  practicability  of  a  minimum  wage,  I 
mean,  by  the  change  in  the  purchasing  power  of  the  wage.  There  is  a 
very  great  difficulty,  it  seems  to  me,  and  it  is  entirely  different  from 
those  other  points  which  Mr.  Carlton  brought  up.  Again,  he  said,  the 
minimum  wage  should  be  placed  on  a  parity  with  them.  I  don't  think 
so,  and  for  another  reason.  We  might  say,  Jt  is  just  that  every  family 
should  have  an  income  which  should  not  fall  below  ten  dollars  a  week, 


214  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

we  will  say.  That  is  far  from  saying  that  the"  minimum  wage  is  the 
best  and  most  efficient  means  for  bringing  the  family  income  to  ten  dol- 
lars. Personally  I  should  say  the  several  members  of  the  family  ought 
to  get  a  wage  such  as  they  are  able  to  produce,  and  if  that  is  not  suf- 
ficiently large,  we  ought  to  settle  that  in  another  way,  either  from  the 
poor  fund  or  from  something  of  that  sort. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Just  a  moment,  about  the  other  propo- 
sition, bearing  on  the  purchase  power.  That  would  simply  mean,  would 
it  not,  a  more  frequent  readjustment  of  the  minimum  wage? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Yes,  it  would  mean  a  very  frequent  readjustment, 
and  it  is  a  very  difficult  matter  to  decide  what  is  the  necessary,  real  wage 
for  the  average  family  to  live  on.  Another  conflict  is  brought  about  be- 
cause families  are  of  varying  sizes,  and  a  minimum  wage  which  is  suf- 
ficient to  provide  for  a  family  of  two  is  not  sufficient  to  provide  for  a 
family  of  seven.  That  is  one  very  great  difficulty  we  ought  to  take  into 
account. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  That  deals  more  with  minimum  wage 
for  men  than  it  does  for  women  and  girls. 

WHAT   WAGE   LEGISLATION   MEANS. 

MR.  WEISMAN :  If  we  regard  the  man  as  the  bread-winner  for  the 
family  more  and  more,  we  will  regard  woman  as  independent  and  provid- 
ing something  for  the  upkeep  of  the  family.  In  general,  this  is  what  it 
seems  to  me  wage  legislation  says  to  the  employers :  "You  must  pay  to 
the  inefficient  workman  wages  which  bear  to  his  efficiency,  a  ratio  higher 
than  wages  in  general  bear  to  efficiency  in  general." 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:    Or  the  alternative— let  him  go? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  will  come  to  that.  You  must  do  that;  pay 
to  the  poorest  man  in  your  establishment  a  rate  that  is  higher  in  pro- 
portion to  efficiency  than  wages  in  general  are  to  efficiency  in  general. 

The  State  would  have  just  as  much  right  to  say  to  the  consumer :  In 
order  to  keep  up  Producer  "A"  who  is  less  efficient  than  Producer  "B," 
you  must  purchase  a  larger  amount  of  this  product  from  "A"  than  you 
must  of  Producer  "B"  in  order  to  keep  him  in  the  field. 

WAGE  WORKERS   RECEIVE  ALL  THEY   EARN. 

MR,  WALKER :  Are  you  not  assuming  what  may  not  be  true,  that  he 
is  now  paying  according  to  efficiency  and  earning  power? 

MR,  WEISMAN :  I  have  assumed  it,  because  I  thoroughly  believe  it, 
Mr.  Walker. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  You  do  not  believe  there  is  any  industry  in  which 
people  are  not  being  paid  according  to  efficiency? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Not  year  in  and  year  out.  There  may  be  a  few 
days  and  weeks. 

IS  EXPLOITING  WOMEN  A  BENEFIT? 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:     Why  is  it  so  many  employers-  all  ask 
the  same  question  first  of  those  who  apply  to  them  for  employment :  "Do 
you  live  at  home?" 
.   MR.  WEISMAN:    I  think,  because  of  the  competition  in  that  line  of 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  215 

business.  I  do  not  believe  the  department  stores  in  Chicago  could  pay 
ten  dollars  a  week. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Are  those  stores  a  benefit  or  a  detri- 
ment to  the  public? 

MR.  WEISMAN:    In  a  measure  they  are  beneficial. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  That  is,  the  exploitation  of  women  is 
u  benefit? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  don't  like  to  state  it  that  broadly.  It  isn't  neces- 
sarily exploitation  if  a  girl  does  live  at  home  and  gets  her  room  rent  and 
board  at  cost  or  free.  It  may  be  exploitation  of  girls  who  come  in  from 
out  of  town  and  try  to  exist  on  four  dollars  a  week.  It  is  simply  a  case 
of  bad  judgment  on  their  part  to  try  to  live  on  it. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  A  woman  who  has  no  home  is  de- 
pendent upon  her  labor  for  her  livelihood. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Yes,  let  her  earn  four  dollars  a  week  and  supple- 
ment her  income  from  some  poor  fund. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL*:  Do  you  think  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a 
"parasitical  industry  ?" 

MR.  WEISMAN:    Yes, .lots  of  them  all  around. 

MR.  DOW:  Do  you  believe  wages  are  governed  by  what  persons  are 
worth? 

MR.  WEISMAN:    Yes,  certainly. 

MR.  DOW :  I  do  not.  I  think  it  is  governed  by  what  employers  can 
get  them  for. 

MR.  WEISMAN :  There  is  no  question  about  that  in  my  mind,  theo- 
retically, and  I  think  it  holds  true. 

MR.  DOW :    I  think  it  does  not  work  out ;  I  think  no  economic  theory 

rks  out  in  practical  cases. 

THE  JOB  AND  THE  PAY  ARE  EQUAL. 

MR.  WEISMAN:    Well,  let  me  ask  one  question,  Mr.  Dow.    Why  is  it 

department  store  in  this-  city  has  sixty  girls  instead  of  ten?    Simply 

:ause  sixty  can  earn  more  than  ten. 

MR  DOW:  The  department  store  owner  thinks  the  net  return  is 
greater  from  sixty  than  from  ten.  He  figures  it  out  from  net  return.  He 
does  not  figure  it  out  from  what  that  one  person  could  produce.  When 
you  apply  for  a  position  you  do  not  get  what  you  put  into  it;  you  get 
what  they  pay  you.  You  might  go  into  the  stock-yards  and  you  might  do 
four  dollars  worth  of  work  a  day,  but  if  some  foreigner  will  do  that  for 

dollar  and  a  half,  he  has  the  job. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  It  is  not  a  four  dollar  job  if  he  can  do  it  for  a  dol- 
ir  and  a  half. 

MR.  DOW :    Well  he  might  be  willing  to  do  it  for  that  price. 

CHAIRMAN    GRENELL:      Do   women    know    what   their   labor   is 

>rth? 

MR.  WEISMAN:     They  try  to  form  some  opinion  of  it,  by  saying  it 

sts  so  much  to  live,  and  that  sort  of  thing.  In  my  opinion  there  is  no 
?latiou  between  what  it  costs  her  to  live  and  what  she  is  worth  to  so- 

ety. 

COMMISSIONER   WALKER:      Your  view   is   strictly   an   economic 

)int  of  view,  that  labor  is  an  economic  factor? 


216  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

MR.  WEISMAN :    Yes. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL :  And  has  the  same  relation  to  the  market 
as  a  bag  of  corn  or  bushel  of  wheat? 

THE   ECONOMIC  THEORY  AS   TO   BARGAINING. 

MR.  DOWRIE :  I  want  to  say  this,  in  defense  of  the  economic  theory, 
that  it  assumes  equal  bargaining  power  on  the  part  of  the  factor,  and 
when  women  are  prevailed  upon,  on  account  of  weakness  in  bargaining, 
to  take  less  than  their  services  are  worth,  then  the  economic  theory  does 
not  stand  as  a  remedy,  for  it  assumes  that  those  women  have  equal  bar- 
gaining power  with  the  employer. 

MR.  DUNFORD:  As  I  understand  the  economic  theory,  the  econo- 
mists do  not  assume  that  the  laborer  has  equal  bargaining  power  with 
the  employer,  and  the  point  of  view  is  that  the  labor  union  is  necessary. 
The  labor  union  is  necessary  in  order  to  bring  the  individual  laborer  and 
employer  upon  a  plane  of  equality  in  bargaining  power.  The  laborer  must 
sell  his  labor  to-day.  He  cannot  save  it.  It  is  not  like  pig-iron  or  any  other 
commodity.  If  he  loses  a  day  it  is  gone  forever.  He  must  sell  to-day  or 
else  starve  to-day  and  to-morrow.  On  the  other  hand,  the  capitalist  can 
not  pay  him  more  than  he  is  worth,  nor  can  the  capitalist  pay  the 
woman  more  than  she  is  worth ;  that  is,  more  than  she  produces,  else  he 
will  have  to  go  out  of  business. 

HIGHER  WAGES   MAY   INCREASE  PRICES. 

A  point  in  this  connection  in  regard  to  department  stores,  is,  if  they 
are  paying  girls  less  than  they  can  live  on,  they  are  paying  them  probably 
now,  from  the  standpoint  of  the  economic  theory,  all  they  are  worth  in 
view  of  the  prices  they  are  getting  for  their  products.  If  the  wage  is 
raised,  then  the  girl  will  have  to  produce  more  in  order  to  enable  the 
manufacturer  or  the  department  store  to  sell  at  the  same  prices.  Now 
my  point  was  this  afternoon  that  the  chances  are  her  efficiency  will  in- 
crease if  she  is  paid  more.  Better  housing  and  better  clothes  are  con- 
ducive to  efficiency;  and  another  consideration  which  I  think  of  is,  that 
when  she  is  paid  more  and  the  condition  of  her  employment  is  based 
upon  her  greater  efficiency  rather  than  upon  what  she  will  accept,  that 
she  will  become  more  efficient;  she  will  exert  herself  more  and  will  pro- 
duce more,  and  the  manufacturer 'can  still  stay  in  business,  and  sell  the 
product  at  the  old  prices.  Although  if  a  minimum  wage  is  applied  very 
generally,  it  will  raise  the  prices  a  little.  Although  I  believe  I  under- 
stand the  economic  theory,  on  the  other  hand  from  the  humane  stand- 
point, I  do  not  believe  the  consumers  who  are  able  to  pay  more,  ought  to 
be  subsidized  to  the  sacrifice  of  these  people  who  are  unequal  bargainers 
in  the  competitive  market. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  quite  agree  with  Professor  Dunford.  He  says 
there  may  be  a  tendency  for  women  to  increase  efficiency  if  a  wage  law  is 
enacted.  If  they  do  not  increase  their  efficiency  they  will  drop  down.  No 
employer  in  the  world  is  going  to  pay  six  dollars  to  an  employe  who  is 
worth  four  dollars.  That  is  the  point  you  are  trying  to  make,  isn't  it? 

MR.  DUNFORD :    Yes. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  It  may  be  the  minimum  wage  might  have  that 
effect. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  217 

A  HIGH  WAGE  WILL  ATTRACT  WORKERS  FROM  OTHER  STATES. 

If  we  have  a  minimum  wage  law  in  Michigan  which  raises  the  wages  of 
the  department  store  girls  from  what  they  are  now  obtaining,  five  dollars, 
o  seven,  or  seven-fifty,  nothing  in  the  world  is  going  to  keep  girls  from 
Indiana  and  Ohio  from  coming  over  here,  and  the  most  efficient  girl  is 
going  to  get  the  place,  and  you  are  then  going  to  have  the  dependents 
upon  your  hands.  Then,  as  I  have  said  before,  the  only  practical  mini- 
mum wage  law  in  the  country  is  the  national  minimum  wage  law.  If 
not,  the  immigration  from  the  outside  is  going  to  flood  the  labor  market. 
The  only  reason  that  the  wages  in  a  certain  town  are  low  is  because  the 
labor  market  is  overstocked,  and  if  you  increase  the  wages  in  that  town, 
you  are  not  going  to  do  away  with  the  fundamental  difficulty.  Oregon 
or  Washington  might  enact  such  a  law,  because  it  would  not  be  affected 
by  immigration,  but  here  the  girls  from  Cleveland,  South  Bend,  Fort 
Wayne,  Chicago  will  come. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Would  it  not  tend  to  increase  the 
wages  in  those  places  because  of  the  attraction  of  the  Ohio  wage-earner 
to  Michigan,  the  fear  of  the  employer  losing  his  employes? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  If  the  girl  was  worth  seven  dollars  he  would  give 
her  seven  dollars;  then  she  would  not  come.  If  she  was  worth  seven 
dollars  he  would  pay  her  seven  dollars. 

IS   A   NATIONAL    LAW   FEASIBLE? 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE :  Might  not  the  alternative  of  a  national 
commission  be  done  away  with  by  every  state  having  a  commission? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  With  a  uniform  rate,  uniformity  of  real  wage,  it 
would  do  away  with  it,  but  five  dollars  in  Michigan  is  entirely  different 
than  five  dollars  in  California,  because  the  purchasing  power  of  money 
in  Michigan  is  very  much  greater  than  in  California;  prices  are  very 
much  higher  there. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  There  is  a  serious  question  as  to 
whether  the  nation  has  any  jurisdiction  over  child  labor,  and  a  Senator 
tried  to  solve  that  this  way:  That  no  manufactured  article  which  it 
was  shown  was  made  in  a  factory  where  there  was  child  labor  under  a 
certain  age,  should  be  shipped  in  interstate  commerce.  He  held  that 
was  constitutional,  and  probably  it  was.  That  is  the  only  way  that 
could  be  found  to  reach  that  problem. 

MR.  DOW:  WTould  not  the  question  of  the  difference  in  purchasing 
power  of  money  arise  more  in  the  national  plan  than  in  the  state  plan? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  No,  because  the  federal  government  has  the  statis- 
ics  of  real  wages  compiled. 

MR.  DOW:  Would  it  not  be  difficult  to  get  a  plan  through  congress 
set  a  wage  for  California? 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     It  would  be  done  through    a   wage 

)ard,  same  as  other  states,  taking  up  each  industry  by  itself. 

MR.  DUNFORI) :  Even  the  same  industry  in  different  localities  might 

ive  a  different  wage  rate. 


218  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

HIGHER  PRICES  WILL  AFFECT  SALES. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Raising  the  price  of  goods,  which  Professor  Dun- 
ford  mentioned  a  moment  ago,  is  bound  to  reach  out  in  the  case  of  a 
community  in  which  the  supply  is  elastic,  and  in  any  other  case  where 
there  is  any  attempt  made  to  raise  the  prices,  there  is  bound  to  be  a  falling 
off  in  sales,  and  any  appreciable  falling  off  in  sales  in  any  establishment 
means  the  cutting  down  of  the  pay  roll.  That  you  will  observe  in  every 
store  in  the  world.  If  business  to-day  is  not  as  good  as  corresponding 
business  with  last  week,  the  employer  is  going  to  cut  down  the  number 
of  employes. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Unless  the  purchasing  power  is  in- 
creased somewhere  to  offset  it. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Yes,  you  might  have  that  counterbalancing  it,  but 
it  seems  to  me  that  our  situation  is  very  much  better  if  we  have  each 
individual  receiving  the  income  which  he  is  substantially  able  to  earn 
from  the  standpoint  of  efficiency,  and  supplement  that  if  necessary  from 
some  common  fund.  Of  course,  the  proposition  which  Professor  Carlton 
was  talking  about  does  not  antagonize  me  so  much.  The  thing  he  seems 
to  say  is  simply  legalize  a  rate  of  wages  which  substantially  everyone 
is  honestly  securing.  If  a  department  store  girl  is  getting  five  dollars, 
we  ought  to  legalize  that  as  a  minimum  wage.  That  is  not  what  I  call 
an  effective  minimum  wage  law.  An  effective  minimum  wage  law  is  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  the  wage  above  what  they  are  now  getting. 

PUBLICITY    NOT   IMPORTANT. 

As  to  the  publicity  feature,  I  do  not  think  the  moral  effect  is  particu- 
larly important.  In  Massachusetts  it  is  only  published  in  some  labor 
journals,  so  they  do  not  suffer  substantially. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE :  The  Massachusetts;  law.  provides  for  a 
penalty  of  |200  to  $1,000  for  employers  who  discharge  or  discriminate 
against  any  employe  who  served  on  any  minimum  wage  board;  also  a 
penalty  of  a  hundred  dollars  for  refusing  to  report  the  finding  of  the 
commission. . 

MR.  WEISMAN :  I  know  the  Boston  newspapers  objected  to  it  in  the 
spring,  when  the  brush-making  trade  was  first  taken  up.  The  brush- 
making  trade  was  the  first  industry  they  took  up  in  Massachusetts,  and 
they  said  Boston  was  so  conservative  they  did  not  take  up  with  the 
state  law  on  the  point.  I  don't  think  they  will  have  any  success  with 
it  now,  and  the  last  thing  I  heard  was  that  the  brush  manufacturers 
discharged  every  single  individual  who  attempted  to  take  any  part  in 
minimum  wage  legislation.  You  see  there,  the  Commission  appoints 
representatives  from  the  trades  themselves.  All  these  representatives 
from  the  trade  that  took  any  active  part  in  this  thing  were  immediately 
discharged,  and  what  they  are  going  to  do  with  that  situation  I  don't 
know.  There  is  no  way  in  the  world  in  which  the  law  can  prohibit  a 
private  individual  from  discharging  a  laborer.* 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Well  I  would  not  say  that.  If  the 
black-list  is  illegal,  then  it  can  by  statute  be  made  illegal  to  discharge 


*This  has  been  officially  denied  by  the  Massachusetts  Minimum  Wage  Commission   which 
says  the  brush   manufacturers   are  cordially   co-operating  in   enforcing   the   decision. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  219 

employes  because  acting  under  the  law  they  have  acted  on  a  minimum 
wage  board. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  quite  agree  with  that.  I  think  employers  are  in 
the  wrong  when  they  discharge  a  man  for  that  reason,  but  they  did  that; 
I  know  that  they  discharged  three  different  sets  of  employes. 

PRESENT  WAGE   CONDITIONS  PREFERABLE  TO  A   MINIMUM    WAGE. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Let  me  ask  you  one  question,  about  the 
point  you  made  awhile  ago,  of  what  the  minimum  wage  law  would  do  if 
fixed  materially  higher  than  the  present  minimum  in  a  given  industry. 
If  it  would  do  that,  as  you  think,  which  would  be  the  worse  in  the  long 
run — that  we  suffer  those  results  that  you  say  would  probably  follow 
from  a  higher  minimum  wage  fixed  by  law — or  let  things  go  on  as  they 
are,  with  women's  labor  concededly  paid  less  than  a  living  wage?  I  say 
concededly — four  or  five  dollars  is  concededly  less  than  a  living  wage 
under  ordinary  conditions.  Which  would  be  the  wTorse? 

MR,  WEISMAN:  I  think  it  is  far  better  the  way  it  is,  far  better.  I 
think  there  is  a  way  out. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER :    It  seems  there  must  be  a  way  out. 

SCIENTIFIC   MANAGEMENT  ADVOCATED. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  will  go  ahead  with  that.  I  think  that  scientific 
management  is  going  to  solve  this  question  itself.  Mr.  Taylor  in  his  ex- 
periments has  shown  there  is  a  place  for  every  individual  in  this  uni- 
verse; that  everyone  is  efficient  at  something,  and  I  think  our  present 
economic  system  is  in  the  dumps.  We  have  a  class  of  employers  who  do 
not  try  to  find  the  place  where  the  employes  belong.  They  are  inefficient 
in  their  particular  place.  Mr.  Taylor  says  there  isn't  anyone  in  this 
universe  who  is  not  or  can  not  be  made  efficient  in  his  particular  place. 
He  takes  the  lowest  kind  of  laborers  and  in  the  steel  plant  he  has  them 
in  two  months  making  four  dollars  a  day.  If  we  could  educate  our 
working  girls  and  educate  our  employes  to  the  point  of  knowing  their 
place  they  will  become  efficient. 

There  is  quite  an  interesting  movement  on  foot  in  Cleveland,  where 
the  department  store  owners  have  innovated  a  system  by  which  they  teach 
their  girls  the  materials,  make  them  acquainted  writh  their  stock,  so  that 
when  an  intelligent  woman  comes  in  to  buy  cloth,  the  girl  is  intelligent 
also,  and  can  show  her  the  difference  between  woolen  goods  and  cotton. 
It  is  surprising  to  know  how  little  the  average  department  store  girl 
":nows.  She  has  not  been  through  the  eighth  grade. 

TEACHING  STORE  EMPLOYES  ECONOMY. 

That  is  organized  among  the  department  stores  in  Cleveland.  Simply 
>riginated  among  individual  firms,  I  think.  I  know  one  of  the  women 
loing  that  work,  and  in  addition  to  that  she  teaches  the  girls  how  to 
spend  their  week's  salaries.  She  says  the  average  department  store  girl 
rill  go  out  at  noon  and  spend  30  and  35  cents  for  lunch,  and  she  teaches 
ler  what  kind  of  shoes  and  clothes  to  buy. 
CHAIRMAN  GRENELL :  The  J.  L.  Hudson  Company  and  the  Crow- 


220  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION   OF  INQUIRY   ON 

ley-Milner  Company  in  Detroit,  both  large  department  stores,  are  doing 
that. 

MR.  DOW:  Don't  you  think  the  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage 
law  would  hurry  along  that  movement? 

MR.  WEISMAN :  Yes,  but  the  mere  establishment  of  a  law,  from  my 
point  of  view,  would  mean  the  discharge  of  about  twenty  per  cent  of  the 
employes.  I  think  that  wTould  be  the  result — twenty  per  cent  of  our 
people  would  be  discharged  by  an  effective  minimum  wage  law. 

MR.  DOW:  That  has  not  been  the  experience  in  Australia,  that 
twenty  per  cent  was  discharged. 

MR.  WEISMAN:    What  would  you  call  an  effective  minimum  wage? 

MR.  DOW :  I  consider  it  would  be  a  living  wage,  and  that  is  what  we 
are  after  here.  Mr.  Hammond  considered  a  living  wage  in  his  investi- 
gation. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Well  I  do  not  think  that  Hammond's  investigation 
has  shown  that  in  Australia  and  New  Zealand — it  seems  to  me  they  have 
legalized  the  prevailing  wages  there.  I  don't  think  they  have  raised 
eight  per  cent  in  any  case. 

PIN  MONEY. 

On  the  question  of  pin  money  that  I  started  to  talk  about  this  after- 
noon. I  think  that  is  a  very  dangerous  element  in  our  economic  condi- 
tion at  the  present  time.  It  is  made  up  of  women  who  live  in  their 
homes,  and  who  are  not  compelled  to  work,  school  girls, — high  school 
girls  who  go  into  department  stores  for  six  or  eight  weeks  during  the 
summer  months.  They  are  perfectly  willing  to  take  four  dollars  a 
week,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not,  and  this  vacation 
money  then  goes  for  nice  toggery,  or  a  vacation  and  that  sort  of  thing 
If  we  have  a  minimum  wage  law  we  must  make  an  exception  for  that 
sort  of  wToman.  We  cannot  give  these  girls  the  minimum  wage  and  pro 
vide  for  the  whole  supply  of  labor. 

FORCING  OUT  MARGINAL  EMPLOYERS. 

The  girls  I  spoke  of  would  not  probably  be  worth  the  minimum  wage 
and  they  probably  could  not  get  it.     I  do  not  think  there  is  anything 
else  I  can  state  at  the  present  time.    I  did  want  to  say  that  another  effeci 
of  this  legislation  would  be  to  force  out  the  marginal  employers  them 
selves,  and  that  in  itself  would  react  on  the  price  of  commodities,  if  the 
supply  of  the  producer  is  any  less  than  it  was  before — the  demand  wil' 
cause  the  price  to  be  shoved  up,  by  the  falling  off  in  supply,  but  that 
would  soon  be  made  up. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  The  forcing  out  of  the  inefficient  pro- 
ducer or  employer,  whose  methods  are  expensive  because  he  does  not 
give  the  process  the  study  and  effort  he  ought,  and  replacing  him  by 
more  efficient  producers,  would  not  that  tend  to  decrease  the  price? 

MR.  WEISMAN :  It  would  be  only  temporarily  that  the  prices  would 
be  higher. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  221 


WHAT  THE    STATE   OWES  TO  THE    WORKER. 


{COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Would  you  say  that  a  man's  wages, 
10  is  acting  as  the  head  of  the  family,  need  not  necessarily  bear  any  re- 
gion to  the  cost  of  living  to  his  family;  and  that  women's  wages  need 
not  necessarily  bear  any  relation  to  the  cost  of  the  upkeep  of  her  body? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  say  that  unqualifiedly,  from  the  economic  point 
of  view,  and  I  say  the  state  owes  something  to  them. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Then  the  sovereign  power  of  the  state 
should  be  directed  to  an  increase  of  taxation  so  as  to  meet  the  deficit  in 
1he  upkeep  of  the  family  in  the  case  of  a  man  with  a  family,  or  make  up 
the  deficit  of  the  woman  in  the  upkeep  of  her  body? 

MR.  WEISMAN:    Yes. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Well  is  there  something,  from  your 
own  standpoint,  that  could  be  done  in  the  meantime  for  the  purpose  of 
increasing  efficiency? 

MR.  WEISMAN:    Oh,  yes,  certainly. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  What  would  you  do?  I  am  interested 
in  that  phase  of  it.  What  can  be  done  by  the  state  or  the  employer? 

WHAT  EDUCATION  WILL  DO. 

MR,  WEISMAN:  I  think  that  we  ought  to  adapt  our  education  so 
that  the  average  pupil  can  find  himself  some  place.  As  it  has  a  very 
bad  moral  effect  on  him  throughout  his  whole  life  if  he  fails  in  school. 
Make  our  educational  system  broad  enough  so  he  can  find  himself.  If 
he  cannot  do  it  in  some  of  the  other  studies  let  him  do  it  in  manual 
training,  and  give  him  credit  for  it.  It  seems  to  me  the  moral  effect  of 
a  high  school  diploma  would  have  a  tremendous  influence  on  the  average 
man  in  the  labor  field,  but  if  you  get  him  out  of  school  he  is  down  and 
out  all  his  life.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  activity  of  the  state  ought  to 
be  in  the  opposite  direction,  in  keeping  the  student  in  the  school  and 
adapting  the  course  to  the  man,  instead  of  trying  to  make  him  adapt 
himself  to  the  course.  There  is  for  the  average  normal  youth,  or  man  or 
woman,  some  field  in  which  they  can  be  placed. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  I  would  like  to  suggest  one  further 
thought:  If  the  state  should  pursue  that  course,  which  you  mentioned 
previously,  would  it  not  have  a  tendency  amongst  women  and  people,  to 
increase  their  belief  that  they  should  receive  state  assistance,  and  would 
it  not  have  a  tendency  among  men  who  are  lazy  to  increase  their  belief 
they  should  have  state  assistance,  so  that  as  years  pass  on  the  taxes 
would  become  so  high  that  it  would  have  to  support  the  entire  labor 
body? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  I  do  not  believe  so.  No  great  proportion  of  us 
would.  I  have  a  great  deal  of  confidence  in  the  integrity  of  the  average 
working  man.  I  think  he  is  thoroughly  honest  and  a  reliable  individual, 

•d  I  have  come  in  contact  with  him  very  much.    He  wants  to  make  an 
nest  living,  and  if  he  is  not  making  an  honest  living  he  thinks  the 
state  owes  him  something,  and  that  is  the  reason  I  think  the  state  ought 

§  settle  it  some  other  way. 
The  minimum  wage  affects  only  the  employer  involved,  and  from  my 
ew  it  is  the  function  of  the  whole  state,    The  farmers  and  professors 


222  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

and  men  in  all  professions  or  trades  ought  to  have  a  share  in  that,  and 
not  the  individual  employer,  because  it  would  ruin  him  as  a  business 
man. 

EARNING  AN  EASY   LIVING. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE :  In  Detroit,  there  is  a  peculiar  condi- 
tion there,  in  the  last  few  years,  that  men  lean  more  heavily  upon  the 
others,  and  I  think  the  cause  of  that  leaning  to  be  practically  this :  They 
observe  their  neighbors  about  them  who  do  nothing  for  a  livelihood  ex- 
cept invest  their  money  in  lands,  subdivide  it  into  lots  and  sell  them, 
which  keeps  them  in  comfort  and  luxury,  that  they  feel  they  might 
readily  lean  upon  those  who  are  taxpayers  by  virtue  of  being  owners  of 
propert}7,  and  feel  justified  in  so  doing,  and  keep  their  self-respect  by  so 
doing.  I  would  say  if  you  are  not  paying  all  the  tax  you  should,  and 
living  in  ease  and  luxury  by  virtue  of  that  fact,  we  feel  as  if  we  had  a 
right  to  lean  upon  you  and  ask  you  to  pay  us  such  wages  to  support  the 
family  in  comfort  or  to  women  to  protect  her  body  and  furnish  it  with 
sustenance.  It  seems  to  me  the  tendency  would  grow  from  year  to  year, 
so  that  ultimately  society  will  become  socialistic,  the  state  would  be 
supporting  its  population. 

MR.  DUNFORD:  The  theory  upon  which  associated  charity  works 
substantiates  your  point  of  view. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Yes,  there  is  a  growing  tendency  to 
lean  upon  somebody. 

MR.  DOWRIE:  Whatever  we  do,  don't  let  us  do  anything  that  will 
take  away  their  self-respect. 

WEALTH   THROUGH  EXPLOITATION. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  That  brings  up  the  question  I  raised 
this  afternoon.  I  have  been  taking  a  little  interest  in  Detroit.  It  is  a 
growing  city,  and  the  fortunes  that  are  made  there  I  find  are  largely 
made  from  two  sources.  One  is  the  exploitation  of  land  values,  and  it  is 
the  main  one;  and,  secondly,  the  exploitation  of  labor,  and  it  is  of 
secondary  consideration.  I  find  from  our  report  here,  many  women 
work  for  less  than  six  dollars  a  week.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  how 
they  sustain  their  bodies  on  that  wage.  I  find  that  in  general  the  em- 
ployers live  in  very  handsome  homes;  lead  luxurious  lives;  they  build 
sky-scrapers  in  Detroit.  It  does  seem  to  me  as  if  society  was  not  prop- 
erly organized,  when  one  person  by  industrial  energy,  even  the  use  of 
capital,  can  acquire  two  million  dollars  in  seven  years  by  the  employ- 
ment of  two  or  three  thousand  women  employes.  It  seems  that  here  is 
a  problem  we  must  solve  in  an  economic  way,  and  I  believe  your  sug- 
gestion carries  it  the  wrong  way. 

MR.  WEISMAN :  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  impose  heavy  income  taxes 
on  such  fortunes. 

PROFESSOR    DOW    AND    THE    MINIM UM    WAGE. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:    Mr.  Dow,  cannot  we  hear  from  you  next? 

MR.  DOW:  I  have  not  worked  out  a  definite  speech.  I  am  in  favor 
of  a  minimum  wage,  both  as  a  state  measure  and  as  a  national  measure. 
I  am  in  favor  of  it  as  a  state  measure  because  I  do  not  think  we  can 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  223 

get  a  national  measure  passed  now.  I  would  not  be  in  favor  of  a  higli 
minimum  wage.  I  would  not  favor  a  definite  set  wage  for  all  industries. 
I  think  the  Commission  should  have  the  right  to  fix  that  according  to 
different  industries  and  different  localities. 

I  cannot  conceive  how  a  minimum  wage,  sufficient  to  maintain  the 
worker,  is  going  to  be  hard  on  the  average  employer.  It  may  hit  some 
one  line  of  business,  but  if  it  hits  all  in  that  line,  it  is  going  to  force 
up  the  prices  received  for  that  article,  and  therefore  shift  the  burden 
on  the  public.  For  instance,  the  department  stores  and  parasitic  indus- 
tries who  cannot  pay  employes  more, — this  Avill  merely  force  them  up, 
remove  them  from  the  parasitic  plane,  and  pass  the  burden  on  to  the  pub- 
lir  in  increased  prices.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  they  can  pay  a  suitable  wage 
without  injury,  it  should  be  done. 

Now  I  cannot  see  why  it  would  increase  the  inefficient  class  to  any 
great  extent.  I  think  oil  the  whole  it  would  raise  the  efficiency  of  the 
employe,  and  it  would  compel  the  employer  to  take  some  steps  toward 
efficiency,  and  compel  the  school  system  to  recognize  the  fact  and  follow 
out  the  plan  similar  to  the  schools  in  Germany,  where  a  person  is  taught 
a  trade  on  top  of  a  public  school  education,  and  that  training  is  com- 
pulsory. 

IMMEDIATE  EFFECT   OF   THE    MINIMUM    WAGE. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  If  a  minimum  wage  was  established 
that  was  materially  higher  than  the  present  prevailing  wage,  would  not 
its  immediate  effect  be  to  increase  to  a  considerable  extent  the  unem- 
ployed ? 

MR.  DOW:  It  might,  but  I  do  not  conceive  why  a  high  minimum 
wage  should  be  enacted.  I  think  that'  wrould  not  be  a  wise  measure  at 
all. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Well  suppose,  for  instance,  the  com- 
mon wage  paid  to  women  now  was  six  dollars,  and  suppose  the  wage 
:  board  said  eight  dollars  was  as  little  as  a  woman  could  live  upon  and 
!  sustain  herself  in  decency,  and  fixed  that  as  a  minimum  wage;  the  im- 
|  mediate  effect  of  that  would  be,  would  it  not,  to  throw  out  of  employ  - 
|  ment  a  considerable  number  or  proportion  of  the  women  in  those  in- 
;  dustries? 

MR.  DOW:  It  might  throw  out  some,  but  I  think  the  employers 
would  demand  more  of  their  employes,  demand  greater  efficiency,  and 
throw  out  the  pin  money  class,  rather  than  those  who  actually  need  it, 
and  I  think  its  effect  would  not  be  damaging  at  present.  For  instance, 
a  great  many  women  go  to  the  department  stores  to  earn  pin  money; 
they  consider  it  light  work,  and  if  they  knew  it  was  not  light  work 
they  would  not  go  there. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     Well  of  the  present  employes  at  the 
cheap  wages,  a  considerable  number  of  them,  because  of  inefficiency,  are 
not  capable  of  earning  what  Avould  be  considered  a  living  wage  as  such? 
MR.  DOW :    There  are  some. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  There  would  be  only  one  course  to 
pursue  as  to  them  now,  and  that  would  be  to  discharge  them  if  they 
could  not  almost  immediately  be  made  efficient  enough,  and  what  is 
to  become  of  them  ? 

1%.  1M)\Y:     Any  new  iinpmvrinciii  nmscs  a  disturbance  in  conditions; 


224  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

any  new  machine  that  conies  into  the  market  throws  out  men.  The  great 
industrial  revolution  caused  untold  misery.  Any  improvement  is  bound 
to  cause  some  disturbance. 

TAKING    THE    FAMILY    INCOME    AS    A    WAGE    BASIS. 

Now  I  would  be  opposed  to  Mr.  Weisman's  theory,  using  a  man's  family 
as  a  basis.  I  think  if  we  took  the  family  as  a  basis,  it  would  tend  to 
increase  child  .labor;  and  I  think  the  individual  is  the  basis  for  the 
wage. 

MR.  WEISMAN:  Isn't  the  family  the  spending  unit?  It  is  not  the 
individual.  It  is  the  family,  and  we  have  to  have  a  family  income  it 
seems  to  me.  Don't  you  agree  to  that? 

MR.  DOW:    Well  in  a  measure  the  family  of  course  spends. 

MR.  DOWRIE :  How  would  you  answer  the  question  as  to  women  and 
children  ? 

MR.  DOW:  If  one  woman  should  support  a  family,  the  wage  should 
be  sufficient  to  do  it,  and  at  least  to  keep  herself  going.  I  think  the 
minimum  wage  is  merely  to  support  one  person,  and  if  it  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  support  one  person,  what  is  it? 

MR.  WEISMAN:  You  want  it  to  support  one  person  in  the  same 
way  that  I  want  it  to  support  the  whole  family. 

MR.  DOW:  If  one  person  cannot  earn  enough  to  support  himself 
how  can  five  support  a  family  of  seven? 

PRODUCTION   VS.    WAGES. 

MR.  DOW:  Now  as  to  the  theory  of  productivity,  being  the  basis  for 
wages,  I  would  be  opposed  to  that 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:     You  mean  under  present  conditions? 

MR.  DOW:  Yes,  that  is,  an  employer  hires  for  as  low  as  he  can.  He 
does  not  consider  what  that  person  can  do.  The  productivity  is  the 
maximum.  He  won't  pay  for  what  that  person  produces,  but  will  pay 
as  far  below  that  as  he  can  hire  a  person  for. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  You  must  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  the 
employers  of  women  are  competing  Avith  each  other,  and  sell  at  prices 
which  just  cover  the  cost  of  production,  and  one  of  the  costs  is  the  labor 
of  women.  The  only  thing  you  can  do  is  either  cut  off  profit  of  the 
employer,  or  raise  the  prices  of  the  goods  produced,  unless  the  checks 
which  I  have  referred  to  become  effective. 

MR.  DOW :  When  an  employer  seeks  a  location  for  a  factory,  he  goes 
where  he  can  get  labor  cheapest,  and  if  he  can  get  women  cheaper  at 
one  place  than  at  another,  he  will  go  where  he  can  get  the  cheaper  labor. 
Take  for  instance,  the  department  stores  of  Chicago, — take  Marshall 
Fields',  the  descendants  are  gadding  around  Europe,  living  on  fancy  in- 
comes, and  do  absolutely  nothing,  and  I  don't  favor  increasing  their  in- 
come. I  would  have  nothing  to  say  if  their  income  was  cut  off  and 
they  had  to  go  to  work  for  a  living. 

MR.  DUNFORD :  Insofar  as  they  are  not  competing,  then  of  course 
there  is  a  monopoly,  and  that  is  of  course  a  condition  where  we  would 
agree  there  may  be  exploitation,  but  on  the  other  hand,  my  point  of 
view  is  that  a  minimum  WHJ»V  i';m  )>e  injected  into  \\ie  present  economic 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  225 

system  ami  not  throw  it  out  of  balance  or  ran  counter  to  it  by  raising 
die  plane,  of  competition. 

MR.  IM)\Y:    My  point  of  view  is  it  wouldn't  get  there. 

MR.  DUNFORI):  Well,  insofar  as  it  aids  the  exploited  party  we 
should  agree  to  it. 

THE    MOBILITY    OF    LABOR. 

MR.  DOW:  The  average  person  I  think  would  not  be  affected  by  mini- 
mum wage  at  all.  I  think  the  immobility  of  labor  has  been  exaggerated. 
Labor  which  is  paid  a  low  rate  is  less  mobile  than  others.  I  consider 
that  women  are  less  mobile  than  men. 

MR.  WE  ISM  AX:  Are  they  less  mobile  if  they  have  only  themselves 
to  provide  for? 

MR.  DOW:  Because,  a  woman  is  more  conservative  anyway.  A 
woman's  temperament  is  different;  it  is  more  conservative. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  She  likes  home  surroundings  and  hesi- 
tates to  get  away  from  them. 

MR.  DOW:  Yes,  she  has  less  active  energy.  She  stores  up  more 
energy  and  expends  less. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  How  is  that,  as  applied  to  the  argu- 
ment, that  if  the  wage  were  raised,  the  Michigan  minimum  wage,  that 
women  employes  would  be  apt  to  come  in  from  other  states? 

MR.  DOW :  [  think  that  is  exaggerated.  I  think  that  is  all  I  have  to 
say.  I  am  in  favor  of  a  minimum  wage,  and  I  think  the  fixing  of  a 
wage  should  be  left  with  a  commission. 

FAVORS  A  LIVING    MINIMUM   WAGE. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  You  are  in  favor  of  a  living  minimum 
wage,  and  that  is  really  where  we  get  to,  because  there  is  not  very  much 
pin-pose  in  imposing  a  minimum  wage  law  and  a  minimum  wage  board, 
and  the  machinery  that  is  necessary,  unless  in  the  end  it  is  going  to  re- 
sult in  a  living  minimum  wage. 

MR.  DOW:  Yes,  lives  are  more  valuable  than  dividends.  Human  be- 
ings should  be  considered  before  profits. 

CHAIRMAN  GRENELL:  Still  that  does  not  imply  we  should  jump 
from  a  low  wage  to  a  living  wage  in  one  jump.  I  notice  in  the  Massa- 
chusetts brush  trade  decision,  they  start  with  15%  cents  an  hour,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  year  are  raised  to  18  cents,  and  in  the  meantime  the 
Com  mission  is  to  study  the  question  and  see  whether  the  industry  can 
stand  the  18  cents  rate.  They  have  a  year  for  experimenting  on  the 
15Vo  cent  rate.  That  is  what  I  suppose  you  mean  by  saying  not  to  have 
I  too  much  of  a  raise  in  the  minimum  wage  at  first. 

K!.  DOW:     Yes,  it  should  be  done  gradually. 
MMISSIONKR  WALKKR:     I  want  to  ask  these  gentlemen  a  ques- 
tliat   is  a  little  beyond  the  minimum   wage  question,  but.  relates  to 
things  they  said.     Tmler  the  theory  of  wage's  in  a  condition  of  free 
•oinpetilioii.  does  that  free  competition  imply  monopoly  in  land  or  imply 
'1'ial  opportunity  of  access  to  natural   resources?      Is   that  one  of  the 
lials  in  free  competition — that  we  talked  about  to-day,  in  working 


IS    FKi;i;    ro.MI'KTlTlON    I'OSSIl'.IJ-;    WIIKUK    LAND    IS    MONOi'OMZKP  ? 


220  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

out  a  wage  law,  which  gives  to  everyone  according  to  efficiency  and 
productivity  ? 

MR.  DUNFORD :  There  are  some  essentials  in  the  economic  order 
in  which  the  process  of  competition  takes  place,  which  determine  the 
nature  of  the  competitive  action.  Insofar  as  we  establish  a  law,  it  would 
change  the  plane  of  competition,  as  the  right  of  private  property  changed 
the  plane  of  competition  from  what  it  was  in  the  primitive  state  of  na- 
ture. I  usually  illustrate  this  when  teaching  a  class,  and  take  football 
as  an  instance.  The  rules  of  football  have  been  changed  from  time  to 
time  to  elevate  the  plane  of  competition  to  conform  to  our  idea  of 
fairness.  Now  with  freedom  of  competition,  under  one  exception  you 
might  send  the  teams  together  and  let  them  kill  each  other.  New  essen- 
tials, legal  and  social,  are  constantly  entering  into  our  conception  of 
the  phrase.  The  implications  in  the  phrase  depend  upon  the  laws  and 
social  customs  of  the  group  in  which  competition  takes  place. 

MR.  DOWRIE :  It  seems  to  me  that,  in  order  to  insure  those  factors 
their  share,  there  would  have  to  be  competition  among  owners  of  land 
as  well  as  among  the  other  factors.  If  the  one  landlord  controls  all  of 
the  natural  resources,  he  would  be  in  position  to  deprive  some  of  the 
other  factors  of  their  share  of  the  product. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  Also  if  he  is  in  control  of  those  na- 
tural resources  which  are  most  profitable.  I  was  going  to  suggest  this 
though :  In  free  bargaining,  with  men,  is  it  customary  to  ask  him  if  he 
lives  at  home? 

MR.  DOW:     No. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE :  It  is  not.  When  women  apply  for  em- 
ployment, on  the  other  hand,  the  customary  question  is,  if  she  lives  at1 
home.  I  think  that  question  itself  indicates  a  parasitic  industry. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  Well,  now,  would  it  not  be  a  chari- 
table thought  that  they  hold  an  interest  in  the  morals  of  the  women  em- 
ployes ? 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  I  believe  that  is  true  also,  but  while 
it  is  true,  it  shows  in  itself  a  lack  of  freedom  in  bargaining, 

A  VOTE  OF  THANKS. 

COMMISSIONER  WALKER:  I  want  to  move  a  vote  of  thanks  to 
these  gentlemen  present,  including  the  Professor  from  Albion,  who  have 
rendered,  I  think,  a  public  service  in  attending  to-day,  and  taking  parl 
in  this  round  table.  I  also  include  in  the  vote  of  thanks  the  institutions 
which  they  represent. 

COMMISSIONER  BEADLE:  I  support  that  motion,  and  furthei 
move  that  a  copy  be  sent  to  each  institution. 

CHAIRMAN  GKENELL:  I  am  sure  both  the  other  Commissioned 
agree  with  Mr.  Walker,  and  are  heartily  in  accord  with  him  in  thankinjj 
the  professors  present  and  those  who  have  been  with  us,  in  so  fully  ami 
freely  giving  us  their  views  on  the  effect  of  any  tniiiinmin  wage  legtslaj 
tiou  that  might  be  proposed. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  227 


MINIMUM  WAGE  MEMORANDA 

FOR  THE   USE  OF  THOSE   WHO  ATTEND   THE  ROUND  TABLE  CONFERENCE. 


Tin*  Michigan  Minimum  Wage  Commission  now  investigating  the  ad- 
visability of  establishing  a  Minimum  Wage  for  Women,  is  desirous  of 
obtain  ing  the  best  thought  of  the  State  on  the  problem.  To  this  end  the 
rommission  is  asking  those  University  and  College  Professors  of  the 
Commonwealth,  whose  work  is  along  economic  lines,  to  meet  the  Coin- 
mission  in  a  Round  Table  Discussion  and  advise  on  the  question.  And 
in  order  that  these  informal  talks  may  not  cover  too  wide  a  field,  it  is 
suggested  those  who  may  attend  give  thought  to  the  following  points  : 

1  —  As  certain  factors  determine  the  rate  of  wages  which  any  individual 
worker  or  group  of  workers  receive,  which  of  the  following  are  the 
most  important: 

Number  of  workers  available; 

Efficiency  of  the  workers; 

Standard  of  living; 

Needs  of  the  individual; 

Needs  of  the  worker's  family; 

Needs  of  "pin  money"  workers; 

Danger  of  occupation; 

Size  of  the  profits; 

Regularity  of  work; 

Chance  of  advancement; 

Local  or  trade  conditions; 

Organization  of  employers; 

Organization  of  workers; 

Monopoly  of  opportunities  for  employment. 

—Do  wages,  as  at  present  determined,  represent  the  true  value  of  ilic 
services  rendered  f 

T/  present  wages  in  general,  or  for  any  particular  group  of  workers, 
'arc  inadequate,  can  they  be  raised: 

(a)  By  governmental  action? 

(b)  By  education? 

(c)  By  any  other  agency? 

r/  governmental  at-  lion  /«  desirable  for  women  and  minors,  is  the  best 
form  the  establishment  of  a  Minimum  Wage? 


the  Minimum  Wage,  if  declared,  be   made   compulsory,  or  if 
not.  how  shall  observance  be  SCCHH  •'// 

\ 


228  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

0 — What  effect  would  a  Minimum  Wage  established  &//  statute  have: 

On  the  workers  affected; 
On  employers  affected; 
On  the  consuming  public; 

On   the   opportunity   of   obtaining   a   higher   wage   than 
minimum; 

(e)  On  the  inefficient; 

(f)  On  regularity  of  employment; 

(g)  On  liberty  of  action; 
(h)     On  profits. 

7 — What  could  and  should  be  done  for  the  inefficient? 


APPENDIX  B. 


PUBLIC  MEETING  HELD   IN  THE  BOARD   OF  COMMERCE, 
DETROIT,  FEB.  16,  1914. 


(Reported  by  Frank  McNamara,  stenographer.) 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Judson  Grenell,  chairman  of  the 
State  Minimum  Wage  Commission  of  Inquiry,  in  the  Detroit  Board 
of  Commerce  rooms.  All  the  Commissioners  were  present. 

MR.  GRENELL :  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  this  meeting  is  called  to 
•obtain  the  views  of  the  employers  of  Detroit  on  the  advisability  or  in- 
advisability  of  a  legal  minimum  wage  for  the  working  women  of  Michi- 
gan. The  Commission,  under  appointment  by  Governor  Ferris,  is  to  make 
ils  report  to  the  next  legislature.  The  Commission  at  this  time  lias 
no  opinion  of  its  own  as  to  whether  a  minimum  wage  for  women  is 
practicable  or  impracticable;  it  is  concerned  with  statistics  and  in- 
formation relating  to  wages,  conditions  and  cost  of  living.  Employers 
are  asked  to  tell  the  Commission  about  wages;  working  women  are  be- 
ing asked  as  to  wages,  environment  and  cost  of  living.  We  are  asking 
civil  societies  generally  to  give  us  their  ideas  of  the 'cost  of  living  and 
what  it  costs  a  wage  working  woman  to  live  under  proper  conditions. 
This  meeting  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  those  present.  Therefore,  1 
would  be  pleased  to  have  you  appoint  a  chairman  for  the  meeting. 
Whom  will  you  have  for  chairman? 

FREDERICK   F.   INGRAM   was   unanimously   declared   chairman. 

MR.  INGRAM:  Ladies  and  gentlemen.  As  I  understand  the  wishes 
of  the  Commissioners,  it  is  their  desire  that  those  present  take  charge 
of  the  meeting,  and  they  wish  the  assembly  to  have  all  the  latitude  pos- 
sible in  discussing  the  subject  of  the  meeting,  as  stated  by  the  president 
of  the  Commission.  It  is  suggested  that  speeches  be  limited  to  ten 
minutes,  excepting  by  request  of  the  audience,  wrhen  I  suppose  the 
speeches  will  be  extended.  I  await  the  pleasure  of  the  meeting. 

MYRON  H.  WALKER,  COMMISSIONER:  There  is  one  additional 
word  I  would  like  to  say.  I  think  this  ought  to  be  made  plain  at  this 
meeting  to-night.  We  have  received,  for  instance,  from  Detroit,  returns 
by  employers  of  labor  to  whom  our  blanks  have  been  sent,  and  in 
answering  the  question  as  to  wrhat  their  opinion  was  as  to  the  mini- 
mum wage  for  women  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  some  said  it  is  ad- 
visable, and  some  said  no,  it  is  inadvisable,  and  gave  various  reasons. 
Others  said  "Yes,  it  is  advisable.  We  have  already  adopted  it."  One 
of  the  principal  objections  that  has  been  urged  is  this,  that  they  pay 
by  the  piece  and  that  by  paying  by  the  piece  the  minimum  wage  cannot 


230  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

be  applied.  Now,  the  Commission  wants  all  the  light  that  can  possibly 
be  thrown  on  the  subject.  If  you  are  in  favor  of  it,  why?  If  you  are 
against  it,  why  are  you  opposed  to  it?  We  want  all  the  light 'we  can 
get  along  those  lines,  as  well  as  the  views  or  suggestions,  as  suggested 
by  the  chairman. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  I  would  like  to  hear  from  some  of  the  large 
employers  of  female  labor.  I  will  call  upon  Mr.  George  Hargreaves,  of 
Parke,  Davis  &  Co. 

MARVELOUS   EXTENSION    OF    DETROIT'S    INDUSTRIES. 

MR.  HARGREAVES:  Mr.  Chairman.  During  the  last  ten  years 
Detroit  has  undergone  a  marvelous  extension,  as  we  all  know,  and  fam- 
ilies have  been  brought  into  the  city  from  outlying  districts  to  furnish 
the  manual  labor  necessary  to  meet  that  increased  demand  for  labor 
by  the  automobile  manufacturers  and  the  allied  interests.  The  increas- 
ing demand  for  female  labor  has  gone  hand  in  hand  largely  with  the 
increasing  demand  for  male  labor. 

I  think  some  six,  seven,  eight,  nine  or  ten  years  ago  when  the  manu- 
facturers of  Detroit  were  at  their  wits'  end  to  know  where  men  were 
to  be  found  to  man  the  large  machine  shops  and  other  shops,  I  believe 
that  people  were  engaged  to  secure  labor  in  the  eastern  cities,  and  they 
made  the  point,  in  fact,  that  there  would  be  a  possible  opening  for  the 
female  members  of  the  family,  so  that  the  word  has  gone  out  and  we  have 
found  the  demand  extended  year  by  year  and  the  supply  kept  pace  with 
it  so  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge.  These  girls  come  here  and  apply  for 
employment  without  any  knowledge  of  the  work  to  be  done.  They 
have  to  be  taught,  whether  it  is  a  cigar  factory,  a  corset  factory,  or 
whatever  it  may  be,  and  at  the  beginning,  therefore,  they  had  to  accept 
a  small  rate  of  pay.  The  fact  that  they  start  work  at  lOc  an  hour  does 
not  mean  that  they  are  to  be  kept  there  indefinitely.  That  is  not  the 
idea.  But,  even  though  they  are  paid  lOc  an  hour  the  chances  are  that 
during  the  first  two  or  three  weeks  they  hardly  earn  that,  because  by 
learning  the  business  during  that  time  they  cannot  produce  very,  very 
much.  The  piece-work  basis,  I  think,  is  pretty  generally  adopted  in  De- 
troit, and  it  is  quite  possible  for  those  girls  who  started  at  lOc  an 
hour,  to  earn  twice  that  much,  or  more  than  that,  and  that  within  a 
very  short  time — within  two,  three  or  four  months  after  accepting  em- 
ployment, providing  they  have  the  aptitude  and  will  stay.  Of  course, 
a  great  many  of  them  come  and  go.  Some  do  not  care  to  become  pro- 
ficient at  the  best,  and  form  a  part  of  that  floating  element — men  as 
well  us  women;  but  whether  it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  girls,  or  whether 
it  is  to  the  interest  of  the  employers  that  a  minimum  wage  shall  be 
established,  I,  for  one,  am  in  a  great  deal  of  doubt. 

I  came  here  to-night  expecting  that  some  light  may  be  thrown  on  that 
question.  Not  all  girls  are  barn  with  equal  ability  any  more  than  men 
are,  and  some  provision  has  to  be  made  for  those  who  are  not  so  apt, 
because  their  help  has  to  go  to  support  families;  so  in  fixing  the  mini- 
mum wage  scale  that  fact  ought  not  to  be  lost  sight  of.  There  are  girls 
of  great  ability  who  must  be  found  employment,  who  have  to  support 
a  family,  and  before  it  is  finally  decided  with  reference  to  the  minimum 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  231 

rage  scale,  I  think  that  is  a  further  matter  that  should  not  be  lost 
ight  of. 

STARTING    WOMEN    AT    WORK. 

MR.  INGRAM :  Assuming  that  we  are  to  have  a  minimum  wage,  the 
i inimum  wage,  I  suppose,  from  what  the  chairman  of  the  Commission 

ivs.   would  be  one  that  would  support  a  family   respectably.     Now, 

)\v  are" you  going  to  start  the  females  in  their  work?    You,  I  presume, 

innot  pay  that  wage  to  the  women  when  they  first  begin  the  work, 
•lien  they  are  ignorant  of  the  work?  How  would  you  get  the  women 
i<>  go  into  a  shop  so  as  to  earn  a  minimum  wage? 

MB.  HARGREAVKS  :  That  is  a  question  I  have  been  unable  to  answer 
ivself,  and  am  in  hopes  some  light  will  be  thrown  upon  it.  I  find  that 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  difficulty.  These  girls  the  first  three  or  four 
weeks  earn  very,  very  little.  That  is  our  experience.  They  must  be 
taught  they  must  earn  something. 

MR.  INGRAM:    It  costs  the  employer  something  to  teach  them? 

MR.  IIARGREAVES:  Perfectly  true.  We  have  no  assurance  that  a 
girl  who  comes  this  morning  will  report  for  duty  to-morrow  morning 
or  a  week  from  to-day.  As  I  say,  they  go  from  place  to  place.  Whether 
it  is  for  more  congenial  work  or  lighter  work,  I  do  not  know. 

MR.  C.  S.  READLE,  COMMISSIONER:  Kindly  state  the  line  of 
business  in  which  you  are  engaged;  what  your  experience  has  been  as 
to  the  necessary  time  of  apprenticeship  in  which  to  teach  these  women; 
the  kind  of  work  you  expect  them  to  do;  also  the  number  of  days  or 
weeks  you  find  it  necessary  for  these  particular  employes  to  become  pro- 
ficient enough  to  really  earn  the  pay  that  you  give  them. 

MR.  HARGREAVES:  The  Commissioner  asks  the  question  as  if  he 
was  in  one  branch  of  business.  I  represent  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.,  a  manu- 
facturing pharmaceutical  business.  Some  girls  are  in  the  box  depart- 
ment; some  work  in  the  capsule  department;  some  in  various  depart- 
ments throughout  the  establishment,  the  terms  of  which  may  not  be 
familiar  to  you,  and  you  can  realize  the  great  differences  in  the  work. 
For  instance,  we  have  the  labeling  and  wrapping  which  are  easier  to 
learn  than  other  branches.  In  some  departments  it  is  easier  to  become 
efficient  than  in  others.  In  some  cases  it  will  take  four  months,  and  I 
will  also  add  that  they  are  learning  something  all  the  time  and  becoming 
more  and  more  efficient  and  skillful  and  their  earning  power  increases 
during  that  time. 

MR.  HEADLE:     That  answers  the  question  very,  very  well. 

THIS  STOIJI-:  HAS  A  MIM.MI'.M   WAGE  SCALE. 

MR.  ING  RAM  :  I  notice  in  the  audience  a  gentleman  who  represents 
one  of  our  largest  department  stores,  and  the  department  store  is  a  large 
employer  of  female  labor.  I  will  ask  Mr.  Petzold,  of  the  J.  L.  Hudson 
<1o.,  to  address  us. 

MR.  WILLIAM  A.  PETZOLD:  This  is  a  matter  to  which  we  have 
been  giving  very  much  consideration.  In  a  general  way  it  seems  to  me 
that  the  minimum  wage  ought  to  be  a  desirable  thing  to  adopt.  It  ought 
to  be  made  low  enough,  however,  I  think,  so  as  not  to  work  an  injustice 
or  hardship  upon  either  employers  or  employes.  I  believe  if  the  wage 
is  fixed  at  too  low  a  rate  it  is  very  apt  to  work  an  injustice  upon  the  work- 


232  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

ing  people — upon  the  girls  themselves,  because  it  will  be  in  the  nature 
of  a  discrimination  against  the  poorer  classes.  The  concern  I  am  with, 
however,  adopted  the  minimum  wage  scale  they  have  more  than  a  year 
ago — two  or  three  years  in  fact.  We  have  our  scale  based  upon  the  ages 
of  the  girls.  We  have  a  limitation.  For  instance,  a  girl  between 
the  ages  of  14  and  18  we  pay  $4  a  week;  that  is  not  less  than 
$4  a  week.  Girls  between  the  ages  of  18  and  21  get  not  less  than 
$6  a  week,  and  girls  more  than  21  not  less  than  |8  a  week.  That 
is  our  scale  of  wages.  The  only  exception  we  have  is  with  some 
of  the  girls  in  the  cafe.  They  work  only  three  or  four  hours  a  day, 
and  they  also  get  the  noon  meal.  Some  of  them  get  less  than 
|4  a  week.  That  is  the  only  exception.  It  seems  to  me  that  the 
minimum  wage  might  be  worked  on  some  basis  so  as  to  be  of  great  ad- 
vantage to  employers  and  employes  alike.  The  matter  that  Mr.  Har- 
greaves  suggests,  about  having  inexperienced  people,  is  one  which  ought 
to  be  given  very  serious  consideration  by  the  Commissioners  in  making 
their  report,  and  I  believe  some  recommendation  ought  to  be  made  to 
relieve  that  situation — perhaps  in  the  form  of  apprenticeship.  Some  way 
we  might  be  able  to  work  out. 

ME.  INGRAM:  Your  idea  of  the  minimum  wage,  I  take  it,  would  be 
different  minimums  for  different  ages? 

MR.  PETZOLD :  Yes,  that  is  the  plan  we  work  out.  It  seems  to  me 
that  on  a  different  basis  the  minimum  wage  would  be  impracticable, 
because  we  have  to  employ  girls  from  the  age  of  14  up,  and  the  minimum 
wage  that  would  apply  to  a  girl  14,  1C  or  18  years  of  age  might  not  be 
fair  to  a  girl  more  than  21  years  old. 

MR.  WALKER:  May  I  ask  the  gentleman  a  question.  Do  you  find 
that  these  women  can  live  on  the  wage  of  $6  a  week;  i.  e.,  the  women 
over  21?  What  is  your  experience  in  that  regard  in  Detroit? 

MR.  PETZOLD :  We  do  not  have  a  minimum  wage  of  f  6  at  21.  It 
is  $8.  Between  the  ages  of  18  and  21  the  minimum  wage  is  |6.  All 
over  21,  |8.  We,  of  course,  do  not  mean  by  that,  that  that  is  the  limit 
we  pay.  That  is  the  minimum  wage.  Our  average  wage  is  somewhat 
higher  than  that — considerably  higher  than  that.  I  mean  that  when  we 
employ  them,  we  do  not  pay  any  less  than,  that. 

MR.  INGRAM:  These  younger  girls  presumably  live  with  their  par- 
ents? 

MR.  PETZOLD:     I  think  a  very  large  majority. 

MR.  INGRAM:  So  far  as  you  know  the  older  girls  are  supporting 
themselves  independent  of  their  parents? 

MR.  PETZOLD:  The  only  exception  to  this  are  the  girls  between  14 
and  18. 

VIEWS  OP  THE  CIGAR  MANUFACTURERS. 

MR.  INGRAM :  The  Commission  would  like  to  hear  from  some  cigar 
manufacturer. 

MR,  ALBERT  E.  BUNTING :  I  represent  some  cigar  manufacturers 
to  a  certain  extent.  I  am  not  going  to  make  any  speech,  but  I  have 
some  statistics  which  might  be  of  advantage: 

The  majority  of  our  employes  would  not  be  affected   by  a  minimum 
wage  law  if  such  a  law  would   not  destroy  the  necessary  ambition   to 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  233 

improve  their  condition  and  earning  capacity  compared  with  the  pres- 
ent piece-work  system,  which  is  employed  in  all  cigar  factories,  for  if 
an  employe  knows  she  is  to  receive  a  stated  sum  each  week  whether 
she  earns  that  amount  or  not,  it  surely  will  breed  a  spirit  of  indifference 
and  rob  the  girl  of  all  ambition  to  excel  her  neighbor.  This  might  not 
apply  to  all  operators,  but  it  would  to  a  sufficient  number  and  make  it 
a  very  serious  matter  to  the  manufacturer,  as  well  as  a  decided  detri- 
ment to  the  employes. 

The  cigar  making  industry  has  been  steadily  growing  in  this  State 
and  particularly  in  the  City  of  Detroit  during  the  last  few  years.  In 
order  to  take  care  of  this  natural  growth,  as  well  as  to  replace  the  women 
workers,  who  usually  stop  work  after  marriage,  it  has  been  found  nec- 
essary for  all  cigar  factories  to  maintain  schools  in  which  apprentices 
are  taught  cigar  making.  This  is  a  very  expensive  item  for  the  manu- 
facturer, as  he  must  furnish  capable  instructors,  provide  the  material  .to 
work  with,  which  is  practically  all  wasted  for  a  period  of  time,  and  even 
after  the  apprentices  have  made  considerable  progress,  the  cigars  made 
by  them  have  to  be  sold  at  a  big  loss.  During  this  time  the  apprentice 
is  paid  a  small  sum  each  week  which  cannot  in  any  way  be  construed 
as  a  wage,  which  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the  average  girl  learning 
such  occupations  as  bookkeeping,  stenography,  etc.,  where  in  addition 
to  devoting  their  time  they  are  charged  liberal  tuition  fees,  and  their 
earnings  as  a  rule  for  a  considerable  period  after  graduation  cannot  be 
compared  with  the  earnings  of  experienced  cigar  makers.  Because  of 
these  facts  it  is  generally  estimated  that  developing  an  apprentice  into 
a  finished  worker  costs  the  manufacturer  from  $60  to  $150,  this  amount 
varying  according  to  the  ability  of  the  individual  to  progress. 

You  will  readily  appreciate  a  minimum  wage  law  would  effectually 
prohibit  the  educating  of  girls  in  our  business,  and  in  a  short  time 
mean  the  total  wiping  out  of  the  industry,  and  as  one  of  the  leading  in- 
dustries of  the  State,  we  feel  that  we  should  be  helped  rather  than  hinder- 
ed by  laws  inimical  to  our  interests. 

We  want  to  state  that  the  period  of  time  taken  to  learn  cigar  making 
is  very  short,  as  most  beginners  are  fairly  competent  cigar  makers  at 
the  end  of  six  months,  needing  only  experience  to  give  them  sufficient 
speed  and  deftness  to  earn  a  weekly  wage  which  is  very  attractive.  We 
believe  the  average  wage  of  cigar  makers  is  larger  than  any  other  occu- 
pation open  'to  girls.  The  average  wage  in  our  individual  factories  to 
experienced  cigar  makers  ranges  from  $9.95  to  $16.42  per  week.  Cigars 
are  all  made  piece-work  and  the  relative  value  of  each  mechanic  is 
measured  by  her  skill,  for  instance  some  women  working  on  the  same 
shaped  cigar  receiving  the  same  price,  will  earn  40  per  cent  more  wages 
than  others  in  the  same  time,  and  in  most  cases  will  turn  out  a  much 
better  finished  product,  due  to  their  efficiency. 

There  is  a  class  of  labor,  known  as  strippers  or  stemmers,  employed 
in  our  factories,  to  whom  it  would  be  positively  impossible  to  grant  a 
minimum  wage,  as  no  skill  is  employed  in  the  execution  of  their  work, 
and  this  help  in  some  cases  are  girls  who  are  just  beginners  in  the  in- 
dustry, and  if  we  have  to  contend  with  a  law  of  this  kind,  unless  the 
wage  is  necessarily  low,  we  would  be  forced  to  have  all  our  stemming 
done  out  of  the  State,  which  would  be  a  great  inconvenience  to  the  manu- 
facturers, and  would  deprive  this  class  of  help  of  a  chance  to  earn  a 
livelihood.  At  this  time  this  help  is  receiving  an  average  wage  of  from 
$4.28  to  $7.39  per  week.  For  the  most  part  these  stemmers  are  middle- 
aged  married  women  of  the  immigrant  type,  unable  to  speak  English  and 
devoid  of  sufficient  intelligence  to  perform  other  than  the  most  ordinary 
kind  of  labor,  thus  a  splendid  field  is  offered  this  class  of  women,  who 
otherwise  might  eventually  have  to  appeal  to  charitable  institutions  for 
assistance  after  coming  to  this  country.  The  balance  of  the  stemmers 
are  younger  women  from  whose  ranks  are  recruited  many  of  the  cigar 
maker  apprentices,  and  the  highest  wages  that  a  cigar  maker  is  able  to 
make  each  week  acts  as  a  spur  to  those  strippers  and  apprentices  to 
perfect  themselves  in  the  art  of  cigar  making,  so  they  themselves  may 
enjoy  these  wages. 

The  product  of  the  Michigan  cigar  manufacturers  is  sold   throughout 


234  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

the  United  States,  and  as  we  are  in  competition  with  all  other  factories 
throughout  the  country  where  no  minimum  wage  laws  exist,  it  is  prob- 
able that  if  the  Michigan  cigar  manufacturers  are  handicapped  with  this 
additional  expense,  they  would  be  compelled  to  remove  their  business  to 
another  state,  where  they  would  not  be  harassed  by  such  a  law.  If  the 
law  was  universal  the  hardship  would  not  be  so  great,  for  then  all  the 
manufacturers  would  be  on  the  same  footing,  but  if  the  additional  cost 
to  the  Michigan  manufacturers,  caused  by  the  enactment  of  a  minimum 
wage  law,  became  a  fact,  then  our  competitors  outside  the  State  would  be 
given  an  unfair  advantage  over  us,  inasmuch  as  their  product  would  cost 
them  less  to  produce  than  that  manufactured  in  Michigan. 

We  would  request  that  this  paper  in  its  entirety  be  incorporated  in  your 
report  to  the  legislative  committee  having  this  matter  in  charge. 

SAN  TELMO  CIGAR  MFG.  CO., 

SUPERIA  CIGAR  MFG.  CO., 

LILIES  CIGAR  CO., 

WAYNE  CIGAR  CO., 

THE  HEMMETER  CIGAR  CO., 

WM.  TEGGE  &  CO., 

SPIETZ  &  WORCH  CO., 

ALEXANDER  GORDON, 

THE  BANNER  CIGAR  MFG.  CO. 

MB.  INGRAM:  Can  you  tell  us  approximately  Low  many  employes 
you  have  there? 

MR.  BUNTING :    About  5,600. 

MR.  INGRAM:  The  last  speaker  assumes  that  the  minimum  wage 
law  would  be  impossible  in  piece-work.  Is  that  assumption  correct  11) at 
the  minimum  wage  would  be  impossible  for  work  carried  on  mostly 
through  piece-work? 

MR,  BUNTING:  I  do  not  state  that.  The  league  of  a  number  of 
manufacturers  in  Michigan  who  employ  piece-work  only  suggest  in  their 
report  that  the  minimum  wage  be  practicable. 

OPINION    OF   A    GARMENT    MANUFACTURER. 

MR,  INGRAM :  We  would  be  very  glad  to  hear  from  Mr.  I.  Cohen,  of 
A.  Krolik  &  Company. 

MR.  COHEN:  I  fully  appreciate  the  spirit  that  prompts  this  gather- 
ing, or  rather  the  consideration  of  this  question,  and  I  am  largely  under 
the  impression  that  it  is  the  matter  of  the  connection  beAveeu  the  em- 
ployment of  women  and  the  vice  question  rather  than  the  consideration 
of  how  much  a  woman  can  earn,  because  we  pay  no  attention  to  estab- 
lishing a  minimum  for  men.  I  am  in  great  sympathy  with  the  question 
and  have  given  it  considerable  thought,  although  I  fear  I  am  hardly  in 
position  to  express  it  in  a  way  that  would  be  as  intelligent  as  I  would 
like  to  make  it. 

We  are  now  undertaking  for  the  National  Association  of  American 
Garment  Manufacturers,  which  represents  about  150  garment  manufac- 
turers throughout  the  United  States,  the  matter  of  the  minimum  wage 
question.    We  realize  that  this  question  is  coming  throughout  the  coun- 
try— a  sort  of  wave  going  through  the  country.    There  is  no  one  who  can 
definitely  say  what  the  minimum  wage  should  be,  no  more  than  they  can  I 
say  what  a  reasonable  wage  should  be.     My  definition  of  a  reasonable  | 
wage  is,  that  it  is  a  little  more  than  you  are  getting;  and  I  have  found    j 

• 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  235 

no  hotter  definition.  That  is  practically  what  the  minimum  wage  would 
be. 

Now  let  me  explain  the  garment  conditions  as  compared  with  others. 
We  have  a  great  many  girls  and  we  haven't  a  girl  in  the  house  who  is 
employed  by  the  week  but  what  receives  $6.  We  do  not  employ  any  girl 
under  16  years  of  age.  At  one  time  we  employed  girls  at  |4  a  week 
and  they  were. glad  to  get  it,  but  now  they  get  |6  a  week — i.  e.,  week 
workers,  and  when  they  graduate  from  that  we  put  them  on  piece-work. 
When  a  girl  says  she  wants  to  be  a  machine  worker  she  may  not  be  able 
to  make  very  much  in  a  day,  but  she  will  be  in  a  position  to  learn  a 
trade  and  in  four  or  five  months  is  in  a  fair  way  to  earn  from  |9  to 
•Sl.~»  a  week.  That  is  the  work  we  are  undertaking  now.  We  have  an 
expert  now  who  is  making  a  thorough  study  of  the  efficiency  of  the  in- 
dividual operator.  We  have  quite  a  few  charts  ready,  and  I  believe  it 
will  be  a  very  interesting  matter  to  hand  over  to  the  Commission. 

Mr.  Collins,  who  is  the  engineer,  is  here  with  me  this  evening.  It 
shows  the  girl  who  is  able  to  earn  say  $9  or  $10, -this  week.  The  chart 
shows  the  variation.  She  will  go  down  to  |2,  up  to  |3;  up  to  $9,  down 
to  *2.  The  work  is  there  for  her.  The  price  is  fixed  in  advance.  She 
can  earn  |9,  only  she  chooses  to  earn  |3.  If  there  was  a  law  which  said 
we  must  pay  her  a  minimum  wage  of  $6,  she  would  get  f6.  We  would 
not  get  f 6  worth  of  work,  and  our  selling  prices  are  fixed  on  the  cost  of 
operation.  On  the  other  hand  they  do  not  care  if  they  earn  |9  one  week 
and  fall  down  to  |3  the  next  week.  Then  again  they  will  congregate  in 
small  groups  and  dance;  comb  their  hair  three  or  four  times  a  day.  We 
permit  that,  of  course,  because  we  could  not  get  them  unless  we  gave 
them  all  these  privileges.  Now,  just  see  what  the  condition  would  be  if 
we  had  to  pay  them  |6  a  week. 

LOW    WAGES   AM)   VICE. 

MK.  IXCJKAM:  Perhaps  we  might  help  you  discipline  them  if  you 
pay  a  minimum  wage. 

Mil.  COHEN:  Possibly  they  would  go  io  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.  Their 
girls  come  to  us.  We  ask  them,  "How  much  have  you  earned?"  "So 
much."  They  always  earn  more  in  the  last  factory,  but  we  pay  no  at- 
tention to  that.  They  all  have  had  previous  experience.  We  take  them 
for  what  they  are  worth.  When  I  put  a  girl  on  in  the  morning  I  do 
not  expect  to  see  her  in  the  afternoon.  We  have  others  again  who  expect 
lo  earn  a  good  wage.  Those  we  like  to  show  on  the  pay  roll.  There  are 
about  10,000  sewing  machines  in  this  city,  and  there  is  not  a  shop  in 
this  city  but  what  there  is  a  want  of  help,  even  under  those  conditions, 
and  I  believe  the  same  is  true  with  every  industry  which  employes  fe- 
male labor.  We  do  not  find  dissatisfaction.  The  only  dissatisfaction 
there  is,  is  where  there  is  dissatisfaction  in  her  own  home.  I  cannot  see 
where  you  are  going  to  benefit  the  women  by  fixing  this  minimum  wage, 
and  if  it  has  any  connection  with  this  great,  social  evil,  it  is  my  experi- 
ence that  1he  girls  who  usually  go  wrong  are  the  biggest  earners  in  my 
shop,  and  I  find  that  the  girls  who  go  wrong  are  among  the  biggest 
earners  in  my  shop,  so  that  would  indicate  that  there  is  no  connection 
between  low  wage  and  vice. 

MK.  WAMvEK:     No  connection  between  low  wage  and  vice? 


236  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

MR.  COHEN:  Yes  sir.  They  do  not  dress  as  well.  They  do  not  go 
out  alone.  There  is  an  entirely  different  temperament. 

VIEWS  OF  AN  EFFICIENCY  EXPERT. 

MR.  INGRAM :    Let  us  hear  from  Mr.  Collins. 

MR.  COLLINS:  Mr.  Chairman,  I  feel  that  I  can  hardly  say  very 
much  at  this  stage,  because  our  investigations  have  not  gone  far  enough. 
With  regard  to  this  question  of  evil  I  believe  as  Mr.  Cohen  does,  that 
there  is  no  connection  between  low  wages  and  vice ;  that  the  women  earn- 
ing higher  wages  are  more  apt  to  be  among  those  who  are  questionable 
than  the  women  earning  low  wages.  I  believe  it  is  a  matter  of  temper- 
ament, as  he  says.  Out  of  some  fifteen  girls,  we  will  say,  probably  three 
of  them  may  be  considered  good  workers,  the  rest  are  drones.  Now,  with 
the  establishing  of  the  minimum  wage,  those  twelve  would  have  to  be 
thrown  out  of  work.  They  ought  to  be  earning  money.  They  have  got 
to  be  taught.  When  they  are  taught  they  go  to  another  shop,  and  then 
they  are  lost  to  the  manufacturers  who  have  invested  their  money  and 
have  nothing  to  show  for  it.  I  think  that  is  about  the  experience  of  every 
efficiency  man  who  works  in  factories  in  any  line  of  industry  employ! ng 
help — men  or  women. 

MR.  INGRAM:  Should  the  legislature  decide  upon  a  minimum  wage, 
would  that  situation  be  relieved  by  some  apprenticeship  proposition,  so 
the  girls  would  work  at  a  low  wage  until  they  would  show  their  effi- 
ciency? Is  that  practicable? 

MR.  COLLINS:  It  does  not  seem  to  me  that  it  is,  because  the  labor 
situation  is  coming  down  pretty  much  to  this:  This  labor  has  1o  be 
trained  by  well  paid  instructors;  they  have  got  to  be  supplied  with  ma- 
terial, and  there  is  a  waste  of  time,  and  it  is  impossible  to  produce  what 
the  manufacturer  wants.  In  almost  any  line  of  industry,  I  do  not  care 
whether  it  is  the  automobile  or  what  it  is,  you  cannot  put  an  advertise- 
ment in  the  paper  and  the  next  morning  get  a  man  to  start  that  machine 
a  going. 

WHY  GIRLS  CHANGE  EMPLOYMENT. 

MR.  WALKER:.  I  understood  you  to  say  when  they  are  trained  they 
go  to  another  shop.  Is  that  what  you  said? 

MR.  COLLINS :    Yes  sir,  they  are  very  apt  to. 

MR,  WALKER:    Why  do  they,  get  tired? 

MR.  COLLINS:  Because  they  are  tired  of  working  and  have  friends 
in  other  shops.  The  men  are  not  like  the  women.  Very  often  the  women 
have  no  one  depending  upon  them.  I  would  be  willing  to  say,  perhaps 
I  may  be  Avrong,  75  per  cent  do  not  have  dependents. 

MR,  WALKER:  Would  they  go  to  another  shop  without  increased 
wage? 

Mil.  COLLINS:  Yes  sir,  because  they  have  some  relative,  cousin  or 
friend. 

MR.  WALKER:  This  system  of  efficiency  aims  to  train  these  drones 
—these  12  out  of  15 — into  more  competent:  and  efficient  workers? 

MR.  COLLINS:  It  is  any  manufacturer's  aim  to  do  that,  and  the 
manufacturer  who  is  not  willing  to  do  that  is  very  apt  to  be  driven  out 
of  business. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  237 


IK.  iN'tJliAM:    Mr.  Cohen,  in  his  remarks,  referred  to  the  minimum 

wage  for  men.  It  is  a  fair  proposition  to  inlroduce,  because  if  there 
should  be  a  minimum  wage  for  women,  there  should  he  also  a  minimum 
wage  for  men.  That  fact  lias  come  to  me  more  than  once,  Mr.  Collins. 
The  men  do  have  more  dependents  upon  tliein  than  the  women,  and  if 
I  he  wage  were  raised  for  men,  for  instance,,  some  of  these  dependents 
would  not  have  to  earn  wages  themselves.  So  it  is  a  fair  subject.  Is  the 
minimum  wage  as  necessary  for  women  as  it  is  for  men? 

Mil.  SHEEHAN:  It  seems  to  me,  Mr.  Chairman,  that  the  various 
questions  in  the  various  industries  resolve  themselves  into  purely  an 
economic  question.  I  would  suggest  to  the  members  of  this  Commission 
before  they  do  anything  rash,  that  they  familiarize  themselves  along 
purely  economic  lines;  that  they  advise  with  some  of  the  best  economic 
professors  in  our  schools  and  in  our  universities,  and  that  they  com- 
municate with  men  experienced  both  in  the  business  world  and  who  are 
students  of  economic  principles.  Do  not  be  rash  about  suggesting  to  the 
legislature,  gentlemen,  that  such  a  thing  is  necessary  because  it  may 
interfere  with  the  economic  law  and  may  bring  on  disaster,  and  that 
may  work  conditions  far  different  from  what  you  expect. 

IS    THERK    AX     KCOXOMIO    ALTERNATIVE? 

I  do  not  know  which  side  of  the  question  I  am  on.  I  am  a  limited 
employer  .of  female  labor.  I  think  we  have  on  our  pay  roll  to-day  some 
1!)  young  women  and  they  must  be,  and  have  to  be  of  higher  intelligence 
than  the  ordinary  working  girl  and  their  wages  run  from  $20  a  week 
down  to  ff>.  I  asked  the  bookkeeper  to-day  to  give  me  the  statistics,  and 
the  wage  averages  flO  a  week,  about.  I  can  remember  when  I  came  to 
this  city  seventeen  years  ago  that  there  were  plenty  of  splendid,  bright 
young  women  working  in  these  various  stores  at  $3  or  $3.50  a  week. 
Those  same  girls  to-day  are  bringing  from  |G  to  |7  a  week.  Go  back 
furl  her,  MI-.  Chairman.  When  I  was  a  young  man  in  school  there  were 
plenty  of  young  women — well  bred  young  women — employed  in  our  pub- 
lic schools  as  school  teachers  at  |150  a  year.  There  are  teachers  in 
Detroit  to-day  earning  from  f  800  to  $1,500  a  year.  Are  the  young  women 
teaching  school  to-day  any  better  than  the  girls  in  calico  dresses  forty 
years  ago?  These  are  things  you  want  to  think  of,  gentlemen.  These 
are  things  you  must  think  of,  because  they^will  come  before  the  com- 
munity and  they  will  be  thrashed  out.  We  have  here  Mr.  Sullivan  whom 
I  know  for  twenty  years  has  been  a  great  economic  student,  and  he 
is  connected  with  a  business  industry  here,  and  I  would  like  to  hear 
from  him,  Mr.  Chairman,  in  regard  to  this  question. 

MR.  INGRAM:  You  spoke  of  an  economic  alternative.  The  Commis- 
sion, as  I  understand  it,  is  not  committed  to  a  minimum  wage,  but  de- 
sire all  the  information  they  can  get.  Have  you  anything  to  say  about 
that? 

MR,  SHEEHAN :  No,  I  have  not.  I  merely  thought  perhaps  it  would 
he  a  good  idea  to  mention  it.  We  can  see  how  the  wages  of  the  young 
women  have  doubled  and  almost  trebled. 


238  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

COMPETITION  BETWEEN  EMPLOYERS. 

MR.  WALKER:  Under  the  operation  of  the  present  system,  which 
we  will  say  is  the  economic  law,  is  the  employer  who  pays  his  help  better 
wages  at  the  mercy  of  the  other  employer  in  the  same  line  of  business 
who  pays  his  help  poorer  wages?  Is  he  a  hard  competitor,  or  doesn't  the 
man  who  pays  the  poorer  wages  have  as  good  a  business?  How  is  that? 
In  other  words,  is  the  man  who  pays  the  better  wages  in  the  same  line 
of  employment  at  a  disadvantage  for  so  doing  under  the  present  system  ? 

ME.  SHEEHAN:  Unfortunately  I  am  in  the  book  business  and  the 
culture  of  the.  American  people  is  not  so  high  as  to  have  any  more  than 
one  other  book  store  in  the  city,  so  I  cannot  answer  your  question. 

MR.  COHEN:  If  this  condition  would  exist;  if  I  am  paying  a  girl 
who  is  making  sleeves  15c  a  dozen  and  my  competitors  are  paying  13c  a 
dozen,  I  am  going  to  get  the  girls.  He  is  going  either  to  meet  my 
price  or  go  out  of  business.  I  will  sell  the  product  too,  as  quick  as  they. 
That  is  what  makes  high  wages.  We  do  not  consider  high  wages  accord- 
ing to  the  present  condition  a  standard,  or  compared  with  what  they 
were  twenty  years  ago,  as  being  remarkably  high.  I  had  occasion  to  look 
over  the  pay  roll  of  mine  to-day  that  is  fifteen  years  old.  The  biggest 
earner  on  that  roll  was  f7  earned  in  one  week,  and  our  average  was 
f  r>..r)().  That  same  pay  roll  to-day  would  probably  run  as  high  as  f  15. 

Mix.  WALKER:  In  proportion  to  the  cost  of  .living,  how  does  that 
compare  ? 

MR.  COHEN:    I  am  not  in  a  position  to  say. 

MR.  WALK  EH:    You  must  take  that  into  consideration. 

MR.  INGRAM :  Isn't  it  true  in  your  line  of  business  that  the  manu- 
facturers who  are  paying  the  top  scale  are  usually  the  most  successful 
and  largest  manufacturers? 

MR.  COHEN :  They  are  not  large  because  they  pay  the  highest  scale. 
They  are  paying  the  highest  scale  because  they  are  large  and  successful. 
(Applause.) 

MR.  INGRAM:  Mr.  Sullivan  has  been  mentioned  as  a  gentleman  who 
can  give  us  something  interesting.  We  "will  be  glad  to  hear  from  Mr. 
Sullivan. 

MR.  SULLIVAN:  I  came  here  to  learn  something.  What  has  been 
said  so  far  is  very  interesting.  I  will  be  glad  to  receive  more. 

MR.  WALKER:  I  am  not  quite  satisfied  with  Mr.  Cohen's  explana- 
tion that  the  employer  who  pays  15c  for  certain  work  will  put  the  em- 
ployer who  pays  13c  for  the  same  work,  out  of  business.  Isn't  there  a 
surplus  of  female  labor,  generally  speaking? 

MR.  COHEN :  No.  I  do  not  think  there  is  an  employer  here  but 
what  he  will  agree  with  me. 

MR.  SULLIVAN :  The  employer  who  pays  15c  for  these  shirt  sleeves 
has  more  for  the  amount  paid  than  the  product  of  the  competitor  who 
pays  13c. 

MR.  WALKER:     He  is  paying  by  the  piece. 

MR.  SULLIVAN:  There  must  be  something  in  the  management  or 
something  in  the  selling  arrangement. 

MR,  MITCHELL:  I  represent  the  Crown  Hat  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, manufacturers  of  ladies'  hats.  It  is  an  industry  of  which  we  are 
probably  the  only  ones  here.  It  has  been  somewhat  difficult  for  us  to 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  230 


•t  enough  female  help  at  times,  and  I  thought  probably  I  could 
on  a  little  bit  on  the  subject  of  (he  surplus  of  female  help.  1  do  not 
low  ilia  I  it  will  atl'ect  us  part  icularly  whether  we  have  a  minimum 
•age  or  not.  Some  of  the  arguments  that  have  been  put  forth  so  far  are 
much  lo  the  point  in  regard  to  the  apprenticeship  question,  and  so 
m.  But,  I  will  say  this,  that  we  have  a  business  in  which,  at  certain 
>ns  of  the  year,  we  use  a  gr-eat  many  operators  and  female  em- 
>  loves. 

INTELLIGENT    WORKERS    COMMAND    HIGH    WAGES. 

We  have  always  aimed  to  pay  the  highest  prices  in  order  to  get  suf- 
licient  help.  Some  of  our  girls  have  made  as  high  as  |45  a  week.  We 
have1  known  them  to  make  $75  a  week  in  the  manufacture  of  ladies' 
hats.  We  are  working  under  a  hardship  through  the  fact  that  we  are 
unable  to  work  more  than  54  hours  a  week.  In  other  cities  we  have  to 
compete  against  labor  where  they  work  more,  particularly  for  the  rea- 
son that  we  have  to  make  enough  in  six  months  to  last  a  year.  We  have 
olTered  all  kinds  of  inducements,  and  even  at  those  prices  have  been 
unable  to  get  enough  workers  —  enough  intelligent  workers.  It  requires 
intelligent  work  to  supply  the  demand.  For  instance,  this  last  year  we 
paid  double  the  prices  that  competitors  paid.  I  found  that  out  after- 
wards. It  was  necessary  to  get  work  out  by  people  in  Cleveland  and 
Milwaukee,  and  still  we  could  not  get  the  work  turned  out.  We  had  the 
same  difficulty  as  other  manufacturers  here,  and  the  reason  of  it  is 
largely,  I  believe,  because  of  the  great  demand  for  female  labor  in  De- 
troit. Where  there  are  so  many  garment  workers  and  so  many  cigar- 
makers  they  have  found  it  necessary  to  build  their  factories  right  in  the 
heart  of  their  living  districts,  so  that  they  do  not  have  to  go  far  awray. 
They  have  had  to  put  in  all  kinds  of  extra  inducements  in  order  to  keep 
them  there.  They  have  experienced,  so  far  as  I  know,  the  same  difficulty 
that  we  have.  They  come  down  and  if  they  do  not  feel  like  doing  the 
work,  they  do  not  do  it.  I  was  just  looking  over  the  list  of  piece- 
workers. We  are  paying  them  now  an  average  of  f  12  a  week.  It  is  pos- 
sible for  any  of  them  to  make  as  high  as  the  highest  if  they  will  give  the 
attention  to  their  work.  Up  to  date  there  are  many  of  them  making  in 
the  neighborhood  of  |30  a  week,  the  best  ones  are  making  |45  a  week, 
and  in  one  instance  |75  a  week,  but  they  are  prevented  from  working 
more  than  54  hours  a  week  in  the  season  that  we  are  able  to  employ 
them. 

AIR.  GRENELL:  Isn't  the  work  somewhat  in  the  nature  of  artistic 
work?  It  is  not  mechanical? 

AIR.  A1ITCHELL:  It  is  almost  entirely  mechanical  work,  not  artis- 
tic. We  are  obliged  to  pay  a  little  more  because  the  work  is  not  con- 
stant. 

AIR.  INCiRA.M  :  Is  there  any  one  representing  the  corset  manufactur- 
ing industry  in  the  room? 

AIR.  BEADLE:  Air.  Cohen  consulted  his  pay  roll  fifteen  years  old 
and  compares  it  with  his  pay  roll  to-day.  I  would  like  to  ask  him  if 
he  also  consulted  the  profit  made  by  the  employer  at  that  time  and 
compared  it  with  the  profit  now  possible  at  this  time  and  could  give  us 
any  figures  concerning  that. 


240  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

BENEFITING  THE  OPERATOR. 

MR.  COHEN:  I  am  in  no  position  as  to  actual  figures,  but  in  a  gen- 
eral way  I  might  say  this,  that  not  only  are  the  operators  earning  more 
money,  but  it  is  also  true — we  will  take,  for  instance,  the  overall  which 
is  familiar  to  all  of  us.  The  goods  that  go  into  the  overall  to-day  are 
worth  lOc  a  yard;  we  are  using  on  an  average  of  32  yards  to  a  dozen 
overalls ;  Ave  sell  those  overalls  at  $5.25  a  dozen ;  they  are  being  retailed 
at  50c  each.  That  is  the  condition  to-day.  The  labor  is  getting,  I  believe, 
90c  a  dozen.  Fifteen  years  ago  that  material  was  worth  about  7c  a  yard; 
labor  was  getting  85c  a  dozen.  There  is  the  big  thing.  You  think  it  is 
the  production.  They  were  getting  but  5c  a  dozen  less  and  earning  about 
half  the  money.  That  is  what  efficiency  and  more  scientific  machinery 
is  doing  for  the  operators.  Where  we  had  our  sewing  machine  that  cost 
$30,  we  are  to-day  making  an  investment  of  $150  for  a  machine  and 
turn  it  over  to  this  operator  and  say  go  ahead  and  make  some  money. 
As  a  result  of  these  improved  methods  that  we  have,  everything  is  really 
for  the  benefit  of  the  operator.  Our  profits  were  really  better  than  they 
are  to-day,  because  the  raw  material  was  cheaper.  The  consumer  fixes 
the  price  to-day,  and  lie  doesn't  want  an  overall  that  costs  more  than  50c. 

MR.  GRENELL:  Hasn't  the  machinery  been  speeded  up  a  great  deal 
during  the  last  fifteen  }Tears? 

MR.  COHEN :     That  is  true. 

MR.  GRENELL:  Doesn't  the  operator  to-day  have  to  make  a  great 
many  more  motions  in  a  day's  work  than  fifteen  years  ago? 

MR.  COHEN :  Not  necessarily.  I  believe  we  are  way  ahead  of  fifteen 
years  ago  methods.  They  are  also  doing  away  with  these  lost  motions 
and  getting  practically  5c  per  dozen  more.  By  our  making  investments 
in  machinery  and  other  scientific  methods,  we  are  trying  to  eliminate 
these  waste  motions,  and  they  do  not  put  in  as  much  energy. 

MR.  S.  O.  BROOKS:  Mr.  Brooks  spoke  probably  twenty  minutes 
describing  his  various  methods  of  building  up  business. 

ARE  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS  SCARCE  ? 

MR.  WALKER:  It  seems  that  instead  of  there  being  a  surplus  of 
female  labor  it  is  claimed  there  is  a  scarcity  of  it.  Now,  I  would  like  to 
know  whether  this  scarcity  of  skilled  female  labor,  or  all  kinds  of  female 
labor,  exists.  I  would  like  to  know  whether  there  is  a  like  scarcity  of 
male  labor  or  a  surplus;  and  if  a  surplus  of  male  labor,  whether  it  is 
caused  by  the  demand  for  female  labor;  and  whether  it  is  possible  to 
work  out  a  system  by  which  men  shall  be  employed. 

MR.  FRED  L.  SILK:  I  would  like  to  answer  Mr.  Walker's  question. 
In  regard  to  the  scarcity  of  female  labor,  Mr.  Walker  has  never  been  in 
the  manufacturing  line.  Any  employer  of  labor — male  or  female — in  or 
near  Detroit  can  answer  the  question  himself.  I  have  been  an  employer 
of  both  in  Detroit  for  more  than  twenty  years.  There  has  never  been  a 
time  during  the  twenty  years  I  mention,  except  at  seasons  such  as  Jan- 
uary and  February,  when  we  might  say  that  we  have  had  plenty  of  girl 
labor.  At  the  present  time  we  are  short.  We  are  rather  busy,  which  is 
unusual  for  Detroit  factories.  During  January  and  February  we  run 
on  short  time  ourselves.  We  are  a  lot  busier  now.  Have  had  advertise- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  241 

men  Is  in  I  lie  papers  for  girls;  send  out  postal  cards  for  girls  who  have 
worked  for  us.  We  have  to  teach  the  girls,  and  it  may  take  two  months 
or  two  years.  Wo  have  some  girls  with  us  who  came  to  work  for  us  at 
fourteen  years  of  age — never  worked  anywhere  else;  came  to  work  for 
s.">  ;i  week  at  thai  lime.  I  think  at  the  present  time  we  do  not  start  any- 
one at  less  than  lOc  an  hour,  and  as  the  girls  become  expert  in  their 
work,  they  make  from  $9  to  $15  a  week.  We,  during  the  last  year  or 
two,  have  changed  a  great  deal  from  day-work  to  piece-work.  That 
gives  the  girl  who  is  smarter  and  brighter  than  the  others,  which  we  all 
know  exists  among  men  and  exists  among  girls  and  women  as  well,  a 
chance  to  earn  what  she  is  entitled  to.  Girls  in  our  factory  formerly 
earned  $G  and  $7  a  week,  but  now  they  earn  $9  and  f  10.  I  asked  for  one 
operator  to-day.  The  foreman  said  she  left.  "What  for?"  "Don't 
know."  They  will  shift  around  from  one  place  to  another  regardless  of 

pay. 

MORE  WAGES,  MORE  HELP. 

MR.  INGRAM:  I  think  what  is  in  the  Commissioner's  mind  is  this: 
If  I  hey  paid  more  wages  perhaps  they  would  not  have  that  trouble  to 
contend  with. 

MK.  SILK:  That  may  be  so.  I  am  not  in  position  to  state.  I  will 
give  you  a  little  instance  of  the  condition  in  a  factory  in  Detroit,  where, 
for  some  reason  or  other — I  don't  know  whether  it  was  from  the  wage 
law  or  whether  they  were  forced  to  the  condition  by  their  employes.  In 
their  various  departments  were  twenty-four  machines  operated  by  men. 
In  order  to  meet  with  the  condition — in  order  to  make  up  some  surplus 
they  had  to  hire  girls.  They  adopted  the  piece-work  system.  The  men 
were  getting  $2.51)  a  day.  They  put  on  girls  at  $1.05  to  help  cut  down 
expenses.  They  claimed  they  were  forced  to  keep  skilled  labor  down. 

Coming  to  the  surplus  of  men  labor  in  Detroit,  I  do  not  think  the 
scarcity  of  female  help  had  anything  to  do  with  that.  We  know  that  in 
Detroit  and  in  every  town,  there  has  been  a  slight  depression  during  the 
past  two  or  three  months.  Some  people  say  it  is  due  to  the  tariff.  Pos- 
sibly so.  I  do  not  know.  There  are  many  reasons  for  it,  but  I  think  the 
condition  Of  the  money  market  has  something  to  do  with  it.  We  borrow 
a  few  dollars  ourselves,  and  while  to-day  the  money  market  is  consider- 
ably easier  than  they  admit,  personally,  I  think  it  will  help  out 
possibly  to  get  better  men  back  to  work.  The  minimum  wage  for  women 
might  naturally  follow  a  thing  of  this  kind. 

You  gentlemen  have  been  through  one  more  panic  than  I  have,  and  you 

know  it  is  a  great  deal  better  to  give  a  little  work  to  a  lot  of  men  at  $1 

or  85c  a  day,  such  as  twenty  years  ago  nearly,  than  to  give  work  to  a 

few  men  at  $2.25  a  day.     I  believe  in  paying  all  that  possibly  can  be 

•aid.     This  question  has  been  brought  about  by  the  increased  cost  of 

living.     There  are  several  reasons  for  that.     One  of  them  is  the  ability 

of  the  people  to  pay  the  prices.    We  all  of  us  spend  money  for  things  we 

lo  not  absolutely  need.    What  do  the  moving  picture  shows  take  away 

from  the  needs  of  people?     Is  it  necessary  for  them  to  spend  $1  or  $2 

a  week  for  moving  picture  shows 

See  the  prices  they  pay  for  clothes  and  hats — or  a  great  many  of  them 
lo.  Vie  have  girls  in  our  office  at  $15  a  week  who  pay  more  for  a  hat 
31 


242  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

than  my  wife  does.  She  can  do  what  she  likes;  it  is  up  to  her.  A  great 
many  working  girls  live  at  home,  especially  the  younger  ones.  A  mini- 
mum wage  might  force  a  great  many  out  of  the  stores  to  our  factory. 
The  cost  of  living,  as  I  say,  is  caused  a  good  deal  by  the  poor  people 
spending  too  much.  We  should  legislate  in  the  interest  of  greater  pro- 
duction on  the  farms,  especially  the  agricultural  schools  in  Michigan  as 
they  are  doing  in  Wisconsin.  Teach  the  farmers  how  to  produce  greater 
crops  to  the  acre.  If  you  can  do  that  in  Michigan  potatoes  will  be 
cheaper  and  the  farmers  will  make  a  great  deal  more  money. 

As  I  say,  we  all  get  girls,  just  as  you  know,  as  we  can  get  them.  Per- 
sonally, I  would  like  to  see  the  whole  lot  from  14  to  16  years  of  age.  The 
younger  you  can  get  them  the  better  you  can  teach  them.  I  might  say 
that  for  three  months  last  year  we  took  into  our  plant  at  least  100  girls. 
They  did  not  earn  on  the  piece-work  basis  what  experienced  girls  made, 
$1.50  to  |:2.25  a  day.  These  girls  did  not  earn  on  that  basis  50c  a  day. 
We  paid  them  $1.25  a  day. 

MEN  MORE  STABLE  THAN  GIRLS. 

MR.  INGRAM :  Isn't  it  a  fact  that  men  earning  around  $12  a  week  in 
stores  and  girls  getting  the  same,  that  the  men  will  stick  to  their  jobs 
and  the  girls  will-shift  around? 

MR.  SILK:  You  know  a  great  many  men  are  married  and  have  fam- 
ilies of  their  own  and  the  girls  live  at  home,  and  a  great  many  of  Ihc 
girls  will  shift  around  from  place  to  place. 

MR.  INGRAM:  And  that  makes  female  help  less  valuable  than  male 
help? 

MR.  SILK:  Yes.  One  girl  will  earn  from  25  to  40  per  cent  more  than 
the  girl  next  to  her.  We  want  the  best  girls  and  are  willing  to  pay  them 
the  price. 

MR.  INGRAM :  You  spoke  about  the  farm  being  made  more  pro- 
ductive. If  the  farms  were  made  more  productive,  this  surplus  of  male 
help  would  naturally  go  out  to  the  farm  if  they  were  sure  they  would 
make  a  living.  That  would  make  employment  more  satisfactory  and 
better  for  the  females? 

MR.  SILK :  Certainly.  We  are  spending  this  year  $2,000  for  men  to 
go  out  and  lecture  to  the  farmer  and  show  him  where  he  can  increase  his 
production.  If  the  United  States  government,  and  the  State  government 
and  the  county  government  will  work  together  as  Wisconsin  is  doing, 
the  farmer  would  be  independent.  There  is  no  better  life  for  any  man 
to  live  than  on  the  farm.  Teach  them  how  to  raise  more  on  the  ground. 
Last  year  a  good  average  was  five  tons  to  the  acre.  We  claim  seven  to 
eight  is  a  good  average.  I  noticed  in  the  paper  that  one  man  raised 
39,000  pounds  on  one  acre,  or  IQi/o  tons.  There  is  no  question  they  can 
raise  at  least  12  tons  and  at  $8  a  ton,  that  brings  pretty  near  $100  to  the 
acre.  These  men  cause  the  high  cost  of  living  in  the' United  States. 

MR.  BEADLE:  What  was  the  comparative  output  of  the  24  women 
who  took  the  places  of  the  24  men? 

MR.  SILK:     It  was  more  than  the  men. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  243 

WORK  TO  Wl  I  li'll    WOMEN    AltE  ADAPTED. 

MR.  NICHOLS  (Princess  Mfg.  Co.)  :    We  manufacture  children's  and 

women's  wash  dresses.  .Mr.  Walker  asked  a  specific  question  that  I  think 
I  can  answer  in  part,  and  that  is  in  relation  to  men  not  doing  certain 
work  as  well  and  finished  as  women.  We  had  occasion  in  our  shop  last 
year  to  try  this  out.  Certain  parts  of  our  production  run  out.  We 
could  not  get  enough  girls  to  keep  up  with  the  rest  of  our  factory  and  we 
employed  some  men  who  have  been  earning  high  wages  in  an  automobile 
factory,  sewing  on  some  tape  or  something  similar  to  the  type  of  work 
they  had  to  do  in  the  automobile  factory.  Those  men  worked  for  several 
months  in  our  factory  and  were  an  absolute  failure  compared  with 
women.  They  were  used  to  sewing,  but  when  it  came  to  sewing  a  dress 
they  were  not  there.  That  work  seems  to  be  something  that  women  are 
naturally  adapted  to. 

As  far  as  the  minimum  wage  proposition  goes,  our  position  is,  I  think, 
pretty  clear  on  it.  I  personally  would  believe  in  the  minimum  wage  if 
it  would  do  anything  to  better  the  conditions  of  the  average  working 
girl,  because  I  think  we  know  what  would  better  the  condition  of  the 
average  working  girl  would  better  the  condition  of  the  best  employed 
girl.  But  whether  the  minimum  w^age  would  better  their  condition  or 
not  is  a  question. 

I  think  the  amount  of  wages  that  is  paid  has  got  to  depend  upon  what 
the  girl  can  produce.  If  the  minimum  wage  law  would  go  into  effect  to- 
morrow, we  would  be  forced  to  take  extraordinary  precautions  to  teach 
them,  as  well  as  the  amount  of  time  it  wrould  take.  If  the  girls  would 
stay  with  us,  that  would  not  be  so  bad,  but  if  they  do  not  stay  with  us 
they  would  be  a  loss,  and  if  we  employed  very  many  of  them  we  would 
go  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver  in  a  short  time,  for  obvious  reasons. 
Some  girls  do  not  even  care  to  earn  what  they  can.  They  are  perfectly 
willing  to  earn  |2  one  week  and  |9  the  next,  and  if  the  minimum  wage 
went  into  effect  it  would  mean  that  the  ones  who  only  earned  $2  a  \veek 
would  be  an  absolute  loss  to  us.  If  we  had  to  pay  her  $6  or  $7,  or  what- 
ever the  minimum  wage  would  be,  we  would  have  to  let  her  go. 

MEN    VS.    WOMEN. 

MR.  INGRAM:  Would  you  substitute  women  for  men  in  your  line 
of  industry  if  the  men  could  do  the  work? 

MR.  NICHOLS:  Not  if  they  could  do  it.  Our  experience  is  that  they 
cannot  do  it.  We  are  in  the  dressmaking  business  on  a  large  scale.  Our 
production  is  very  great.  Plenty  of  men  are  dressmakers  on  higher- 
priced  work.  On  high-priced  work  they  are  better  adapted  than  women. 
We  find  that  to  be  true,  but  in  the  cheaper  work  (he  women  seem  to  be 
better  adapted  to  it  than  men.  It  is  a  natural  thing  for  women  to  do.  It 
seems  to  be  our  experience  anyway. 

MR.  COHEN:  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  garment  industry  is  controlled 
almost  entirely  by  men  in  the  east.  Those  very  high  class  dresses  in 
SiegeFs  windows  are  almost  entirely  made  by  men.  But  the  condition 
in  Detroit  seems  to  be  entirely  different  than  in  New  York.  Now,  they 
have  tried  to  employ  men  in  making  pants  in  Corinth,  Mississippi.  There 
is  a  concern  in  Rome,  Georgia,  that  is  trying  to  employ  negroes  without 


211  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

success.  The  industry  in  New  York  does  employ  mostly  men.  I  de- 
cided at  one  time  to  employ  some  men.  The  women  came  to  me  and 
said,  "We  will  not  work  with  tlnem."  Yon  cannot  employ  men  in  the 
same  factory  where  women  are  engaged. 

MR.  INGRAM:     Why  do  they  employ  men  in  the  east? 

MR.  COHEN:  They  produce  more;  earn  more;  they  are  stronger, 
but  you  cannot  do  that  in  Detroit. 

THE   COMMISSION   AFTER  INFORMATION. 

MR.  GRENELL:  Has  any  manufacturer  here  come  to  a  conclusion 
as  to  what  he  considers  a  fair  wage  for  women,  i.  e.,  what  is  the  wage  a 
woman  can  live  on  in  Detroit? 

MR.  HAMBERGER:  I  was  going  to  ask  a  question.  Is  it  the  intent 
of  this  Commission  to  fix  the  minimum  wage?  Or  recommend  the  mini- 
mum wage  that  shall  apply  to  all  industries?  Is  it  the  intent  that  it 
shall  apply  to  the  garment  workers;  to  the  Parke,  Davis  girls;  Hudson 
girls,  etc.?  Is  it  the  intent  that  it  shall  apply  to  all  industries?  I  think 
that  is  quite  important  and  could  be  more  intelligently  discussed  if  we 
knew. 

MR.  GRENELL:  I  would  say  this:  The  Commission  itself  does  not 
know  yet  as  to  how  far  the  minimum  wage  should  go;  where  it  should 
begin  and  end.  We  are  depending  upon  the  manufacturers — the  employ- 
ers of  labor  to  a  certain  extent.  We  must  first  get  the  information  from 
you  gentlemen.  Then  we  must  get  information  from  women  wage-earn- 
ers. Then  we  must  get  the  cost  of  living,  so  we  can  compare  the  three. 
We  cannot  tell  until  we  receive  these  figures  just  where  the  minimum 
wage  should  begin,  or  where  it  should  end,  or  whether  there  should  be 
such  a  thing  as  a  minimum  wage. 

MR.  INGRAM :  The  possible  position  the  Commission  may  take  is, 
that  they  may  decide  that  a  certain  wage  is  necessary  for  a  woman  to 
live  respectably,  and  the  industries  that  cannot  pay  that  would  be  driven 
out.  That  is  the  only  way  of  considering  the  minimum  wage  without 
reference  to  the  industry. 

MR.  WALKER:  There  are  eight  states,  I  think,  that  have  the  mini- 
mum wage  law — all  passed  within  the  last  two  years.  There  is  only 
one  of  those  states,  that  is  Utah,  that  attempted  in  the  law  itself  to  fix 
what  that  minimum  wage  should  be  so  it  would  apply  to  all  industries. 
There  is  usually  a  wage  commission,  and  that  commission  consults  the 
employers  and  employes  upon  the  wage  applying  here,  a  report  made, 
and  it  is  determined  then. 

THE    COST    OF    LIVING. 

MR.  SILK:  If  it  is  determined  that  it  costs  flO  a  week  to  support 
ourselves,  say,  is  it  right  that  a  manufacturer  or  industry  should  be  com- 
pelled to  pay  75c  girls  who  live  at  home  the  same  wage  ?  Of  course,  we 
know  what  it  costs  some  to  live.  It  costs  some  more  than  others.  We 
know  that  foreigners  come  to  this  country;  two  or  three  children  grow 
up,  and  after  awhile  go  to  work ;  they  live  on  a  very  small  amount  a  day, 
and  now  a  great  many  of  them  own  their  homes.  Suppose  we  were  to 
live  like  that.  If  we  were  to  get  three  or  four  times  as  much  we  would 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  245 

not  live  any  better  to-day.  The  idea  is  lost  to  the  American  people.  I 
think  any  manufacturer  here  or  in  Detroit  will  bear  me  out.  I  am  safe 
in  saying  that  90  per  cent  live  at  home  or  with  relatives.  Some  of  these 
girls  live  very  expensively, — getting  $20  a  week  and  spend  it  all.  It  is 
not  how  much  it  costs  to  live.  It  depends  upon  how  much  to  live. 

STARTING    GIRLS    AT    THIRTEEN    CENTS    AN    HOT  II. 

ME.  C.  F.  YORK:  From  my  standpoint  it  looks  to  me  about  as  rea- 
sonable for  the  legislature  to  corral  all  the  girls  in  Michigan  in  order 
to  fatten  up  the  lean  girls  and  reduce  the  fat  girls.  All  about  the  same. 
(Applause.)  It  may  be  considered  in  another  shape.  Level  the  top  of 
one  girl's  head  because  she  is  too  tall  and  place  it  on  top  of  a  short 
woman's  head  so  as  to  make  them  all  of  one  height.  That  is  about  it 
with  the  minimum  wage.  For  the  men  and  women  it  makes  no  differ- 
ence. I  might  say  that  I  have  employed  both  men  and  women  for 
twenty-six  or  seven  years  in  Buffalo  and  in  Detroit.  I  am  not  going  to 
give  Detroit  a  black  eye,  because  I  own  too  much  property  in  the  town; 
but  I  want  to  say  this  that  I  have  not  had  any  trouble  or  difficulty  either 
with  men  or  women  in  regard  to  their  wages.  Never  had  a  strike.  They 
either  work  or  do  not  work.  I  have  had  a  young  lady  work  for  me  as 
high  as  fifteen  years  steadily  all  the  time — she  wanted  to  work  every 
day ;  and  men  as  high  as  seventeen  years.  We  start  girls  at  13c  an  hour 
in  Detroit. 

Now,  we  came  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit  because  labor  was  on  a  lower 
level  here  than  in  Buffalo,  where  I  was  located,  and  we  could  not  get 
enough  girls  there.  It  was  in  a  small  town.  Now,  we  start  a  girl  at  13c 
an  hour  with  the  definite  and  distinct  understanding  that  that  young 
lady  shall  work  for  two  Aveeks  and  if  her  speed  does  not  satisfy  us  at 
the  end  of  two  weeks,  we  do  not  want  her.  There  is  where  it  comes  in. 
Some  girls  Avill  earn  good  wages  at  the  same  kind  of  work  that  other 
girls  will  starve  to  death.  Some  are  all  the  time  looking  wise,  chewing 
"•inn.  tying  shoes  and  doing  four  or  five  other  things,  paying  no  atten- 
tion to  their  work,  and  we  do  not  want  them  around.  Minimum  wage? 
will  bring  on  inefficiency  and  they  will  go  to  the  dogs.  We  have  no 
trouble  with  our  employes  and  always  expect  to  pay  them  fair  wages. 
They  .start  out  at  13c  an  hour. 

In  regard  to  the  vice  question,  which  seems  to  be  very  much  agitated 
now,  in  a  talk  with  Mr.  Robert  Garrow  he  told  me  that  the  good  work- 
ing girls  are  from  the  slums  in  England,  without  any  clothing — in  rags 
—who  work  for  three  or  four  or  five  months,  or  so  they  can  dress  nicely, 
and  then  what  do  they  do?  They  either  go  to  the  devil  or  get  married. 
When  they  get  so  they  can  dress  they  go  to  other  places.  They  do  not 
slay  in  the  factory. 

Now,  1  think  the  minimum  wage  is  the  worst  thing  that  can  be  es- 
tablished. 

WJIAT   r.ECO.MKS   OF   1NKKKK 'IKXT   GIRLS? 

MR.  WALKER:  You  say  under  the  minimum  wage  the  girls  will  go 
to  the  devil.  No  person  wauls  ineffident  girls.  Where  do  they  go  now? 
What  becomes  of  them? 

MR.  YORK:     We  have  no  trouble  about  the  girls.     We  have  girls  who 


246  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

are  earning  what  you  might  call  the  minimum  wage.  Why?  Because 
we  do  not  work  enough  hours  a  week.  We  do  not  care  what  the 
girl  makes  working  by  the  piece.  It  is  all  piece-work.  There  is  a  lady 
in  our  factory  who  only  works  forty  hours  a  week.  That  would  not  be 
what  is  known  as  the  minimum  wage.  We  would  have  to  pay  her  the 
minimum  wage.  We  have  had  married  women  come  to  our  place  and 
work  half  a  day. 

MR.  COHEN:  You  ask,  what  becomes  of  these  inefficient  girls*.  T 
believe  if  we  have  an  opportunity  to  teach  them  that  they  will  stay  with 
us  and  we  will  make  them  efficient,  perhaps,  and  make  them  self-sustain- 
ing. The  minimum  wage  should  be  at  least  $7  or  fS  a  week.  The  next 
question  is  asked,  what  ought  to  be  the  minimum  wage.  If  you  will  tell 
me  the  class  of  woman,  I  will  tell  you  what  it  will  take  to  keep  her.  I 
keep  only  one  and  it  takes  a  good  deal  to  keep  her.  I  think  the  entire 
matter  will  straighten  itself  out — will  find  its  level  of  compensation 
without  fixing  a  limit.  I  do  not  think  you  can  legislate  speed;  and  if 
you  cannot  legislate  speed  you  cannot  legislate  efficiency;  and  if  you 
cannot  legislate  efficiency  you  cannot  legislate  the  minimum  wage.  We 
are  all  entitled  to  what  we  can  earn. 

MR.  INGRAM :     The  minimum  wage  could  be  fixed  quite  low. 

MR.  GOLDEN:  Of  course,  you  gentlemen  of  the  Commission  were 
given  authority  to  arrive  at  an  understanding  and  establish  a  minimum 
wage,  as  I  understand  it? 

MR.  GRENELL:  We  simply  were  appointed  to  see  if  a  minimum 
wage  law  is  advisable. 

MR.  GOLDEN:  I  thought  that  you  gentlemen,  or  rather  the  Com- 
mission, was  created  to  establish  a  minimum  wage. 

Mf{.  INGRAM:     No,  that  is  not  right. 

WHAT  COLORADO  DID. 

MR.  GOLDEN:  ]>ut  if  you  should  establish  the  minimum  wage  I 
would  ask  you  to  take  up  the  wage  question  taken  up  by  the  state  of 
Colorado.  That  was  established  uniformly  all  through.  I  am  not  sure 
whether  it  was  the  hour  question  that  the  commission  worked  out  in  the 
slate  of  Colorado  or  not.  However,  the  result  was  that  the  merchants 
who  were  employing  female  help  discontinued  to  employ  female  help  and 
took  men  help  instead,  and  the  public  and  the  politicians  got  busy  and 
they  recalled  the  law  that  the  commission  recommended  to  the  legis- 
lators and  went  back  to  the  question  where  it  had  been  before  the  com- 
mission had  been  created;  so,  I  would  suggest  if  you  gentlemen  have  de- 
termined to  create  a  minimum  wage,  to  get  the  information  on  that 
question  from  Colorado. 

MR.  WALKER:  Suppose  it  worked  that  way,  would  that  be  a  great 
mistake  if  the  men  went  to  work  and  put  the  women  out  ? 

A  VOICE :  There  are  lots  of  homes  for  them.  There  are  lots  of  men  for 
them.  There  are  lots  of  schools  for  girls  14  to  18. 

A  VOICE :  I  have  about  750  applications  for  work  in  the  factory  and 
not  one  to  work  in  my  home.  That  answers  that  question.  Girls  do  not 
want  to  work  in  homes. 

MR.  WALKER:   Statistics  prove   thai    the  larger  proportion   of  girls 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  247 

who  go  wrong  is  from  domestic  service  than  an}7  other  service.  They  are 
i rented  as  servants. 

A  VOICE:  Statistics  show  that  because  girls  go  wrong  is  not  the  way 
thev  are  treated  in  the  home,  but  because  of  lack  of  companionship. 

MR.  WALKER:  I  think  it  is  both. 

THE  PROBLEM   OP  SKILLED  LABOR. 

.MR.  HAVENRICH:  I  am  not  an  employer  but  I  think  I  can  state 
something  of  interest.  I  think  that  Mr.  Sullivan  will  bear  me  out.  I 
read  a  statement  some  time  ago  that  about  20  per  cent  of  the  women  of 
tins  country  are  in  industrial  employment  and  that  about  80  per  cent  of 
these  women  cease  working  about  the  time  they  are  twenty-five  years  of 
age.  What  is  the  result?  The  result  is  that  the  manufacturer  is  constantly 
confronted  with  the  question  of  getting  skilled  labor;  that  he  has  to 
teach  girls  all  the  time  and  lose  money  while  giving  them  instructions, 
not  only  in  time,  but  in  the  material  which  they  ruin.  Furthermore,  they 
have  before  them  a  class  of  labor  that  is  not  interested.  This  uninterested 
class  of  labor  is  pretty  near  the  worst  class  of  labor  that  you  can  possibly 
have.  Now,  then,  Mr.  Sheehan  said  that  the  labor  question  is  practically 
entirely  an  economic  question.  I  think  possibly  some  gentleman  will  dis- 
agree with  Mr.  Sheehan.  It  is  a  social  problem  as  well  as  economic 
and  everything  possible  should  be  done,  it  seems  to  me,  to  make  condi- 
tions under  which  women  work  comfortable  to  the  women — women  who 
are  to  be  the  mothers  of  the  next  generation.  It  would  seem  to  me  you 
have  got  to  encourage  the  men  and  not  the  women.  Treat  the  women 
fairly  while  they  are  in  there.  I  have  asked  if  the  intelligent  women  who 
are  working  in  business,  newspaper  work  and  other  work  of  a  like  nature, 
were  paid  according  to  quality  or  according  to  sex,  and  very  much  to  my 
surprise  they  said  it  was  in  the  trade  to  pay  according  to  sex.  However, 
I  am  inclined  to  think  that  they  are  probably  prejudiced.  They  may  be 
right,  but  it  seems  to  me  from  the  little  experience  I  have  had  when  I  was 
employing,  that  the  working  girl  was  able  to  do  the  work  and  got  the  pay. 
It  wasn't  a  question  of  sex  at  all. 

The.  meeting  was  then  dismissed  by  the  Chairman  with  thanks  to  those 
present  for  attending. 


APPENDIX  C. 


PUBLIC  MEETING  HELD  IN  GRAND  RAPIDS,  MARCH  16,  1914. 


(Walch  and  Strawhecker,  stenographers.) 

COMMISSIONER  MYRON  H.  WALKER:  It  is  8:00  o'clock  and  a 
little  bit  after;  I  think,  perhaps,  we  had  better  begin.  As  you  know, 
doubtless,  all  of  you,  a  Minimum  Wage  Commission,  so-called,  was  ap- 
pointed by  Governor  Ferris  to  inquire  into  the  advisability  of  a  minimum 
wage  for  women  employes  in  Michigan,  and  most  of  the  employers  have 
undoubtedly  received  blanks  from  the  Commission  to  fill  out  and  report. 
Most  of  them  have  complied.  Members  of  the  Commission  are  present  to- 
night :  Judson  Grenell,  Chairman,  and  C.  S.  Beadle,  of  Detroit,  a  member, 
and  myself.  Mr.  Grenell,  as  Chairman,  will  take  charge  of  the  meeting 
and  state  more  fully  the  object  of  this  particular  meeting  to-night. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  The  Minimum  Wage  Commission  approaches  this 
problem  with  an  open  mind.  The  Commissioners  have  not  been  appointed 
to  fix  a  minimum  wage.  They  are  only  to  inquire  into  the  advisability  of 
a  minimum  wage;  and  for  this  purpose  they  are  collecting  information 
and  statistics  from  employers,  from  labor  unions,  from  women  wage 
workers,  from  college  professors,  and  from  clubs  and  societies  interested 
in  the  condition  of  women  generally.  I  have  before  me  to-night  a  large 
number  of  blanks  filled  by  the  employers  of  Grand  Rapids;  they  are  very 
full,  and,  so  far  as  we  can  see,  are  filled  out  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  The 
Commissioners  have  not,  as  yet,  compiled  any  of  them,  and  so  they  cannot 
tell  you  what  is  the  actual  wage  paid  at  this  time  to  women,  but  before 
they  get  through  it  is  hoped  to  have  before  us  the  actual  wages  paid  to 
at  least  50,000  women  in  Michigan. 

As  far  as  can  be  determined  there  are  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood 
of  225,000  women  in  gainful  occupations  in  this  State,  and  it  is  thought 
that  if  the  Commission  obtains  reliable  statistics  concerning  50,000  of 
these,  it  will  have  a  sufficient  number  to  tell  the  next  legislature  just 
what  women  are  obtaining  and  just  how  they  are  spending  their  money. 
From  that  it  ought  not  to  be  a  difficult  task  to  know  how  much  is  needed 
for  a  woman  in  this  State  to  live  respectably. 

A  woman  in  a  small  town  can  live  more  cheaply  than  a  woman  in  a 
large  town,  and  therefore-  the  wage  for  that  town  might  be  different  from 
the  wage  of  a  large  place.  But  all  that  will  be  told  in  detail  in  the  report 
which  the  Commission  is  to  make  to  the  next  legislature. 

This  meeting  to-night  is  for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  views  of 
Grand  Rapids  employers  of  wage-working  women;  and  also  I  understand 
there  are  here  representatives  of  organized  labor,  whom  we  will  thank- 
fully hear  give  their  opinion  on  the  advisability  or  non  advisability  of  a 


MINtMUM  WA(JE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMRN.  240 

minimum  wage.     This  meeting  is  open  to  any  one  to  speak  who  pleases 
on  Hie  question.     I<   is  hopo<1  no  one  will  talk  to  exceed  ten  minutes. 

Till:   MINIMUM    WAGE  AND  CIGAR  MAKING. 

MK.  GERRITT  J.  JOHNSON  (President  of  the  G.  J.  Johnson  Cigar 
Company)  :  I  do  not:  want  anybody  to  throw  any  bricks  at  me;  this  is 
just  my  personal  view. 

Personally  T  am  in  favor  of  the  minimum  wage.  One  reason  is  that 
there  are  40,000,000  wage-earners  in  the  United  States,  and  there  are 
always  from  1,000,000  to  4,000,000  out  of  employment.  It  means  that  the 
wage-earners  are  always  in  competition  for  their  jobs,  which  means  lower 
wages.  If  we  had  a  universal  eight-hour  day,  all  would  be  employed  and 
there  would  be  no  use  of  a  minimum  wage — "I  think"  there  would  be,  I 
ought  to  put  that  in — as  that  is  only  necessary  when  there  are  not  enough 
jobs  to  go  around.  Until  we  have  more  jobs  than  workers,  I  would  favor 
such  a  la\v. 

To  get  an  idea  of  what  a  minimum  wage  should  be  I  have  talked 
with  six  of  our  girls,  who  I  know  are  intelligent  and  very  conservative  in 
the  matter  of  living  and  dress.  One  said  she  roomed  and  took  her  meals 
out,  and  it  cost  her  f  10  per  week ;  two  thought  they  could  get  along  on  $9, 
and  the  other  three  on  $8  a  week.  I  found,  however,  that  those  who  said 
£s  did  not  realize  just  how  much  it  really  cost  to  live  until  we  got  to 
figuring  and  going  over  the  expenditures  together.  The  figures  which 
1  am  now  to  give  you  I  assure  you  are  not  the  highest,  but  very  conserva- 
tive. Is  this  out  of  line? 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  It  is  right  in  line. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Laundry,  T5c  per  week,  |39  per  year;  medical  aid, 
50c  per  week — now,  this  "medical  aid"  may  be  a  little  high,  but  some  of 
them  say  that  it  is  a  great  deal  higher,  and  quite  a  few  did  not  have  any 
at  all,  did  not  need  any — that  is  |26  per  year;  wearing  apparel,  |2  per 
week — I  cut  that  down  to  |2  myself;  they  all  agreed  that  $3  was  neces- 
sary, but  I  thought  that  might  be  a  little  high,  so  I  took  the  liberty  to  cut 
it  down  to  f2 — I  didn't  know  but  I  might  be  mobbed;  room  rent  |2  per 
week — that  is  another  item  that  they  thought  ought  to  be  $2.50,  and  I 
personally  do  not  think  $2.50  is  any  too  high  for  room  rent  to-day;  meals, 
r>u<  per  day,  $3.50  per  week — we  figured  15c  for  breakfast,  15c  for  lunch, 
and  20c  for  dinner;  that  seems  high  but  they  would  not  have  any  banquet 
at  that;  insurance,  25<-  per  week;  church,  average  of  lOc  per  week — • 
although  I  found  some  of  them  paid  as  high  as  $1  per  week.  I  didn't  tell 
them  what  I  thought;  dentistry,  25c  per  week;  incidentals,  including 
street  car  fare,  fl  per  week;  that  makes  |52  a  year.  The  total  expendi- 
ture would  be  |538.20.  Figuring  forty-eight  weeks,  which  I  find  a  big 
average — now,  I  represent  a  cigar  factory,  and  I  think  that  the  cigar  fac- 
tories run  about  as  steady  as  any  industry  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
and  I  think  about  forty-eight  weeks  is  all  a  girl  will  average.  Don't 
you,  Mr.  Lubetsky? 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  I  do. 


250  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

YOUNG    MEN    MIGHT   BE    PREFERRED   TO    WOMEN. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Forty-eight  weeks  at  $9  per  week,  we  have  $432— the 
sum  of  |106.27  less  than  the  expenditure. 

There  is  one  drawback  to  my  estimate  of  the  minimum  wage:  If  girls 
learning  a  profession  or  trade  had  to  be  paid  |9  per  week,  the  employer 
would  take  young  men  in  their  stead,  as  they  (the  men)  would  work 
cheaper.  One  disadvantage  in  hiring  a  girl  is  that  she  is  liable  to  get 
married  at  any  time  and  quit  work,  while  a  man  sticks  closer  to  his  job 
when  married.  We  all  know  the  employer  is  not  to  blame  for  these  con- 
ditions. Competition  compels  him  to  buy  his  labor  as  cheaply  as  possible, 
but  if  my  competitor  (that  is  this  man  Lubetsky  here)  has  to  pay  the 
same  wages  as  myself,  I  do  not  care  how  high  you  make  the  minimum 
wage. 

MR.  WALKER:  You  mean  all  of  your  competitors? 

MR,  JOHNSON:  All  of  my  competitors.  Personally  I  think  that  most 
all  of  our  sin  is  directly  or  indirectly  caused  by  poverty.  I  know,  too, 
that  poverty  is  the  greatest  curse  to  the  human  race,  and  Avhile  the  min- 
imum wage  law  will  not  cure  all  the  evil,  it  may  help  a  little;  and  thai 
is  why  I  am  in  favor  of  same. 

MR.  WALKER:  In  the  cigar  trade,  or  manufacturing  business,  what 
class  of  girls  is  it  that  work  for  between  f»4  and  ffi  a  week? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  AVcll,  iho  apprentices;  they  are  practically  all  ap- 
prentices. 

MR,  WALKER:  How  long  have  they  been- working? 

MR.  JOHNSON :  Well,  it  is  according  to  the  girl's  ability.  Now,  we  put 
a  girl  in  the  stripping  department  for  three  to  four  weeks,  and  then  she 
goes  on  piece-work,  and  if  you  put  her  as  an  apprentice  in  a  cigar  factory 
in  making  cigars,  why,  it  may  take  her  four,  five  or  six  months  before 
she  is  able  to  earn  fl  a  day.  Don't  you  figure  about  that? 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  Yes.  What  do  you  estimate  the  loss  the 
first  sixty  days? 

MR,  JOHNSON:  Well,  I  am  not  figuring  on  that.  That  is  a  different 
question. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  It  all  goes  into  wages,  on  the  subject  of 
expenditures. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  I  figure  when  we  get  a  cigar  maker,  when  a  girl  is 
ready  to  make  a  cigar,  that  she  costs  us  about  $75. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  That  is  our  experience. 

MR,  JOHNSON :  It  figures  out  that  much. 

MR.  WALKER:  What  class  of  girls  is  it  that  in  that  same  business 
earn  between  |6  and  |7  a  week? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Well,  they  have  got  a  little  beyond  their  apprentice- 
ship. They  probably  have  worked  from  six  months  to  a  year. 

MR.  WALKER:     They  are  working  at  piece-work. 

MR.  JOHNSON:   They  are  working  at  piece  -work. 

MR,  WALKER :  But  not  expert  yet? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  No,  not  expert. 

MR.  WALKER:   How  much  do  the  expert  ones  earn  at  piece-work 

MR.  JOHNSON:  We  have  girls,  quite  a  number,  1hat  make  from  $15  to 
$18  a  week. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  2f>l 

EFFICIENCY   COMES   WITH   KXrEIMENCE. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  May  I  ask  a  question?  After  a  girl  has  worked 
twelve  months,  worked  earnestly  and  diligently,  does  she  still  improve? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Oh.  yes;  she  will  improve  for  two  years.  I  think  a  girl 
to  make  |9  a  week,  it  will  take  probably  a  year  on  the  average. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  It  will  take  her  a  year. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Yon  cannot  lay  down  the  average.  Some  become  effi- 
cient quicker  than  others,  but  it  will  take  on  an  average  fully  a  year  to 
get  up  to  $9  a  week. 

MR.  WALKER:  Is  that  fact — that  you  have  apprentices  and  it  takes 
them,  we  will  say,  a  year  to  become  efficient — is  that  fact  of  itself  any 
argument  against  the  adoption  of  the  minimum  wage? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  That  would  be  the  only  argument  I  would  have 
against  it.  If  they  could  get  some  provision  whereby  they  could  allow 
apprentices  to  work  for  less,  why,  there  would  be  a  way  out  of  it ;  but  we 
would  not — I  know  our  factory  would  not — pay  a  girl  |9  to  start  with. 
We  could  not  afford  it. 

MR.  WALKER:  Most  of  the  laws  upon  the  statute  books  do  provide 
for  a  special  license  or  permit  for  that  class  of  workers  for  a  certain  time, 
to  be  fixed  by  the  wage  hoard  or  the  commission  that  has  charge  of  it. 

MR,  JOHNSON":  Oh,  yes,  that  would  be  all  right.  Personally  I  would 
be  in  favor  of  it,  because  I  tell  you  why.  Xow,  a  girl  comes  to  our  doors, 
and  the  first  question  we  ask  is  "Do  you  live  at  home?"  If  she  does  not 
live  at  home,  we  do  not  take  her-.  Now,  it  is  not  fair  to  the  girl ;  it  is  not 
fair  to  the  girl  without  parents,  who  lives  out  of  town.  And  yet  we  have 
to  do  it  to  protect  ourselves.  We  know  that  a  girl  at  |4  a  week  cannot 
support  herself.  I  realize  the  injustice  of  that  thing  as  much  as  anybody, 
but  competition  compels  us  to  act  that  way — it  makes  us  inhuman. 

MUST  TAKE  CARE  OF  APPRENTICES. 

MR.  BKXJAMIN  LUBETSKY  (of  Lubetsky  Brothers,  Cigar  Manu- 
facturers) :  I  fully  agree  with  all  these  figures  of  the  gentlemen  (Mr. 
Johnson)  ;  as  near  as  I  can  see,  they  are  accurate.  And  the  only  objection 
I  would  have  to  the  minimum  scale  is  on  the  score  of  apprentices;  and  I 
have  no  doubt  they  could  provide  an  exemption  for  that.  And,  if  they  can 
overcome  that,  I  am  in  favor  of  the  minimum  wage  scale. 

MR.  WALKER:  Mr.  Lubetsky,  does  the  fact  that  most  of  your  em- 
ployes work  by  piece-work  make  a  minimum  wage  scale  for  these  workers 
impracticable  or  impossible — by  piece-work  rather  than  by  day's  work  on 
regular  wages? 

MR.  LUBETSKY:  Why,  that  would  all  regulate  itself.  Of  course,  it 
would  naturally  throw  out  the  incompetent  and  the  unsteady. 

MR.  WALKKR:  Yes,  without  yon  provide  a  probation  period  for  that. 
But  the  objection  has  been  made  by  some  employers  in  returning  their 
blanks  when  we  have  asked  them  whether  they  were  in  favor  of  it  or 
against  it,  and  why,  in  this  form:  "Most  of  our  work  is  done  by  piece- 
work, and  the  minimum  wage  would  not  be  practicable  in  such  case." 
That  is  the  reason  I  ask  the  question. 

MR.  LUBETSKY:  Why  wouldn't  it  be? 

MR.  WALKER:  I  was  not  answering  the  question,  but  was  asking  it. 


252  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Mil.  LUBETSKY:  You  simply  have  to  pay  piece-work  enough  to  come 
up  to  that. 

MR.  WALKER :  How  do  you  establish  your  rate  of  compensation  by 
piece-work. 

MR,  LUBETSKY :  According  to  efficiency. 

MR.  WALKER :  Yes,  but  how  do  you  determine  how  much  you  can 
pay  for  making  1,000  cigars  for  instance? 

MB.  LUBETSKY:  Oh,  we  meet  competition  of  the  whole  United 
States.  We  have  got  to  do  it.  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  if 
Michigan  adopts  the  minimum  wage  and  another  state  has  not  minimum 
wage,  that  the  manufacturer  of  Michigan  will  probably  be  for  a  short 
time  at  a  disadvantage,  and  probably  for  quite  awhile;  but  nevertheless, 
if  the  good  of  the  whole  community  requires  it,  let  the  manufacturers 
make  the  sacrifice.  Other  states  will  follow  suit. 

PLACING  A   PREMIUM    OX   INEFFICIENCY. 

R.  R.  BEAN.  My  name  is  Bean,  R.  R.  Bean,  manager  of  the  Putnam 
Factory,  National  Candy  Company.  I  did  not  expect  to  say  anything 
here  to-night;  I  came  to  learn.  But  I  want  to  be  the  first  one  to  say  that 
as  far  as  my  knowledge  goes,  I  am  opposed  to  a  minimum  wage.  To  my 
mind  it  places  a  premium  on  inefficiency,  and  I  am  opposed  to  any  state 
law  of  this  nature  which  would  not  be  uniform  with  other  states,  for  the 
reason  that  our  friend  has  stated.  A  minimum  wage  law  in  Michigan  and 
no  minimum  wage  law  in  Illinois,  or  Wisconsin,  or  Ohio,  would  put 
out  of  business  a  great  many  manufacturers  in  Michigan,  to  my  mind. 
Y^ou  can  make  a  minimum  irrnjc  law,  but  can  you  make  a  minimum  irovA' 
law? 

It  seems  to  me  that  we  are  having  minimum  laws  of  all  kinds,  eight- 
hour  laws  and  minimum  wage  laws;  but  how  about  the  employers  and 
how  about  competition?  I  am  opposed  to  it  because  it  puts  a  premium  on 
other  work  than  domestic  work.  It  puts  a  premium  on  factory  work  and 
on  store  work.  Why  should  we  not  have  a  minimum  wage  law  for  the  girls 
who  work  in  our  houses?  I  am  convinced  that  a  minimum  wage  law  will 
work  against  the  girl  for  the  reason  already  stated,  that  when  you  get  to 
a  certain  wage  the  manufacturers  will  employ  men  and  boys.  A  girl  can 
only  work  nine  hours  in  Michigan  to-day.  Boys  can  work  ten  hours,  or 
men  can  \vork  ten  hours.  And  that  is  a  very  serious  thing.  Now,  I  am 
in  favor  of  a  nine-hour  day,  but  it  is  a  very  serious  handicap  to  some  of 
us  who  are  employing  girls  in  our  factories.  The  men  are  working  ten 
hours;  the  girls  are  working  nine.  Y^ou  may  say,  "Why  don't  you  let 
your  men  work  nine  hours?"  Well,  we  may  have  to  come  to  it. 

COMPETITION  AND  WAGES. 

MR.  WALKER:  Mr.  Bean,  are  there  some  lines  of  business — take 
candy  making  for  instance — in  which  girls  or  women  are  naturally  more 
efficient,  better  adapted  to  that  business,  than  men  or  boys? 

MR.  BEAN:     Yes,  you  are  right. 

MR.  WALKER :  In  that  case,  is  there  any  great  danger,  even  in  case  of 
a  minimum  Vage,  of  men  or  boys  replacing  the  girls  who  naturally  are 
more  efficient? 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  253 

MR.  I  JEAN:  Not  that  class  of  help,  but  the  other  class  of  help  which 
arc  not  as  efficient,  merely  manual  labor  you  might  say. 

MR.  WALKER:  Then  the  employer  will  protect  himself  by  discharging 
i he  ineflicient,  in  case  they  cannot  earn  the  minimum  wage,  will  he  not? 
lie  can  protect  himself  in  that  way? 

M  R.  1?EA  X  :  If  he  can  replace  the  labor. 

MR.  WALKER:  How  is  the  labor  supply  now,  or  how  has  it  been  in 
the  market,  of  women  workers?  Is  there  a  surplus  or  a  scarcity? 

MR.  BEAN :  There  are .  certain  periods  of  the  year  when  there  is  a 
search  v.  In  the  summer  time  there  is  a  great  scarcity. 

MB.  WALKER  :  What  is  the  cause  of  that? 

MR.  BEAN :  Well,  I  should  say  that  a  great  many  industries,  more  in- 
dustries in  our  town  than  there  used  to  be  a  few  years  ago;  and  then 
I  suppose  a  great  many  women  leave  the  city  in  the  summer  time  and  go 
to  the  resorts,  probably  to  the  hotels.  That  I  cannot  say,  but  I  have 
heard  that  stated. 

MR.  WALKER :  Is  your  business  seasonable — is  there  a  rusk  in  some 
seasons  and  a  scarcity  in  others? 

MR,  BEAN :  Yes,  decidedly. 

MR.  WALKER:  Is  there  no  way  of  regulating  that?  Is  there  no  way 
of  manufacturing  for  the  busy  season  during  a  portion  of  the  dull  season? 

MR.  BEAN :  No,  a  very  little  in  our  particular  business.  Our  goods  are 
perishable,  as  you  understand,  and  we  can  to  some  extent,  but  not  to  an 
extent  that  would  cut  any  figure  as  far  as  the  help  is  concerned,  the 
female  help. 

GIVING   MEN   THE   JOBS. 

MR.  BEADLE:  I  would  like  to  ask  Mr.  Bean  a  question.  Mr.  Beau, 
would  it  not  be  better  to  have  the  men  all  employed,  and  if  there  is 
occasion  for  any  idleness  of  either  sex,  let  it  be  women  who  are  idle? 

MR.  BEAN:  That  is  my  opinion. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Would  not  the  minimum  wage  for  women,  then, 
have  a  tendency  to  bring  the  men  all  into  employment,  and  if  there  was 
idleness  it  would  be  the  women  who  were  idle? 

MR.  BEAN:  If  it  would  work  that  way,  why  I  think  there  would  be 
a  great  advantage  in  it. 

MR.  WALKER :  I  would  like  to  ask  Mr.  Bean  one  or  two  more  ques- 
tions, if  I  may?  Do  your  girls,  most  of  them,  live  at  home? 

MR.  BEAN :  Well,  I  should  say  yes.  And  Mr.  Johnson  took  the  words 
out  of  my  mouth ;  we  have  the  same  question ;  we  ask  all  girls  who  come 
for  employment  whether  they  live  at  home,  and  most  of  our  girls  live 
at  home. 

MR.  WALKER:  Why  do  you  ask  them  that? 

MI{.  BEAN:  For  the  same  reason  that  Mr.  Johnson  lias  already  stated. 

MR.  WALKER:  In  other  words  the  wage  you  are  able  to  pay  them  is 
oftentimes  not  sufficient  to  support  them  in  decency  and  comfort  away 
from  home:  is  that  right? 

MR.  BEAN:  That  is  right,  yes,  sir.  Our  minimum  wage  would  not; 
1  do  not  Ihink  a  girl  could  possibly  support  herself  on  it. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  She  is  in  I  he  nature  of  an  apprentice  when  she 
starts? 


254  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

MB.  BEAN :  Yes,  sir. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  How  long  does  she  remain  an  apprentice? 

MR.  BEAN :  Well,  in  some  parts  of  the  factory  it  would  be  longer  than 
others.  What  you  might  term  the  packing,  that  can  be  picked  up  very 
quickly. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  After  a  girl  has  picked  up  the  packing,  is  she  able 
to  earn  a  wage  sufficient  to  support  herself  ? 

MR.  BEAN:  I  would  have  to  know  what  that  wage  would  be.  I  do  not 
know. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Haven't  you  in  your  mind  what  that  wage  is? 

MR.  BEAN:  I  supported  myself  on  less  than  the  wage  we  have  paid 
to  those  girls. 

EMPLOYERS'  RESPONSIBILITY. 

MR.  WALKER:  Recently?  (Laughter)  Mr.  Bean,  is  it  not— I  am  not 
j mtting  it  to  you  as  a  cold-blooded  business  proposition — but  isn't  it  in 
this  day  and  age  of  the  world  a  part  of  the  employer's  job  to  know  wheth- 
er the  wage  he  is  paying  is  such  that  a  girl  can  live  on  it  or  not?  In  other 
words,  isn't  it  a  part  of  his  job  to  know  what  it  does  cost  his  female  help, 
whether  they  can  live  respectable  lives  on  the  wages  they  are  getting? 

MR.  BEAN:  I  would  not  be  able  to  answer  that  question.  Of  course, 
as  I  have  said,  in  our  case  I  think  probably  99  per  cent  of  them  live 
at  home.  In  a  town  like  this  they  are  more  liable  in  all  businesses 
to  do  that.  But  I  would  not  like  to  answer  the  question  whether  an 
employer  should  be  responsible  individually  in  that  regard. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Mr.  Bean,  does  the  question  of  age  enter  at  all  in 
the  wage  at  which  you  start  a  girl? 

MR.  BEAN :  Only  according  to  law. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  I  mean,  for  example,  a  girl  of  the  age  of  eighteen 
applies  for  work,  would  you  pay  her  at  the  start  more  than  a  girl  of 
sixteen? 

MR.  BEAN :  No,  sir. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  You  would  treat  them  all  alike? 

MR.  BEAN :  Yes,  sir. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  I  ask  that  because  we  find  that  some  of  the  em: 
plovers  do  make  a  difference.  Some  start  at  one  price  when  they 
are  sixteen,  at  another  price  at  eighteen,  and  at  another  price  when  they 
are  twenty. 

MR.  BEAN :  We  do  not  make  any  difference.  It  is  up  to  the  girl's 
efficiency  whether  she,  can  get  more  in  one  week  or  two  weeks  or  two 
months. 

FIXING  WAGES. 

MR.  WALKER-.  Do  you  pay  by  the  piece  or  by  (ho  time? 

MR..  BEAN:  Bolh.  We  have  workers  by  piecework  and  time;  about,  I 
should  say,  evenly  divided. 

MR.  WALKER:  What  fixes  Hie  wage  in  your  factory?  How  do  you 
determine  it? 

MR.  BEAN:    The  piecework? 

MR.  WALKER :  Either  by  piece  or  wage  work ;  how  do  you  determine 
what  wage  you  can  afford  to  pay,  or  can  pay.  or  must  pay,  whatever 


J  MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEtf.  255 

fly  it  presents  itself — how  is  the  wage  determined?  What  are  the  fac- 
>rs  ilia  I  enter  into  it,  practically  from  a  business  standpoint? 
MR.  BEAN:  Mostly  what  our  competitors  are  doing.  We  know— 
MR.  WALKER:  Is  that  ronij>etition  in  this  State  or  outside? 
MR.  BEAX:  The  country  over. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Do  you  ship  goods  outside  of  this  State? 
MR.  BEAN :  We  ship  goods  all  over  the  United  States,  yes,  sir. 
MR.  WALKER:  Of  course,  you  are  part  of  the  National  Candy  Com 
puny  concern? 

MR,  BEAN:  National,  yes. 

MR.  WALKER :  Do  you  fix  your  local  wages  here,  or  are  they  fixed  for 
you? 

MR.  BEAN  :  We  fix  them  here. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Are  they  the  same  in  all  your  other  factories  in  other 

states? 

Mil.  BE  AX':  X^o,  sir.  They  are  all  fixed  locally,  at  their  own  factories. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :   Wages  may  varv  greatly  in  different  states? 

MR.  I! KAN:  Oh,  yes. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  That  is  to  say,  you  compete  with  one  of  your  own 
factories  in  Illinois  paying  more  wages  than  you  do? 

MR.  BEAN:   We  compete  with  factories  all  over  the  United  States. 

MR.  WALKER :  As  a  matter  of  practice,  under  the  competitive  system, 
what  employer,  or  what  set  of  employers  in  a  given  line  of  industry  fix 
the  wages  that  are  paid.  Is  it  the  one  who  pays  the  poorest  wages,  or  is  it 
the  one  who  pays  the  highest,  or  is  it  a  medium,  or  what  is  it? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  I  do  not  think  there  is  anybody  but  the  manufacturer 
can  answer  that  question. 

MR.  LUBETSKY:  I  think  the  man  who  pays  the  poorest  wages  sets  the 
pace. 

MR.  BEAN.  Why,  I  do  not  think  so,  it  is  a  matter  of  demand  and 
supply. 

MR  LUBETSKY :  But  that  makes  demand  and  supply,  because  we  have 
got  to  compete  with  the  man  who  pays  the  least.  He  has  no  choice.  We  do 
not  set  our  wages  by  any  other  standard  but  what  w©  have  to  pay. 

MR.  WALKER:  You  pay  enough  to  get  the  help  and  no  more;  is 
that  it? 

MR.  LUBETSKY:  And  no  more.  I  think  you  will  find  that  that  is  true 
universally. 

HIRING    CHEAP    HELP. 

A  LADY:  Could  I  speak  just  a  few  moments? 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Your  name? 

MRS.  WISE:  My  name  is  Mrs.  Wise.  I  did  not  come  expecting  to 
speak,  bul  I  am  very  glad  the  question  of  wages  in  regard  <o  women  has 
been  raised  in  the  country.  I  was  fore-lady  in  this  city  for  seven  years, 
and  I  think  for  four  years  perhaps  five,  T.  never  hired  a  girl  at  more 
I han  |2.."»n  a  week.  My  employer  said  that  was  all  they  could  pay.  The 
most  of  our  help  were  young  girls  commencing  work  at  about  fifteen 
years  of  age,  but  as  they  became  sixteeii  or  seventeen  they  started  on 
L'.DO  a  week.  I  always  inquired  if  they  lived  at  home,  for  I  knew  they 
not  pay  their  board  and  live  away  from  home,  so  I  always  asked 


256  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

that  question.  And  more  than  one  girl,  several,  told  me  that  a  certain 
store  in  this  town,  that  some  of  them  had  clerked  hi,  that  when  these 
young  girls  hired  out  to  this  man  in  this  town  he  said,  "I  will  give 
you  $4  a  week  to  start  in  with" — I  think  it  was  |3.50  or  $4 — and  the 
girl  said  that  would  not  be  enough,  and  every  time — and  these  girls  are 
not  the  only  ones,  because  many  others  have  told  me  of  it,  men  and 
women  of  this  city — the  employer  always  says  to  the  girl,  "Haven't  you 
some  gentleman  friend  that  can  help  you  out?"  That  is  only  one  store  in 
the  city.  These  girls  told  me  that  themselves.  Well,  after  I  had  hired,  say, 
four  years,  maybe  five,  I  went  to  my  superintendent  and  I  said,  "I  can't 
hire  these  girls  any  more  for  $2.50  a  week;  they  cannot  live  on  it;  it  is 
not  right."  And  after  that  we  paid  $3  and  then  $3.50.  That  is  all  they  had 
at  first  for  several  weeks;  then  they  would  get  a  25  cent  raise,  a  raise 
of  25  cents  a  week  and  quite  awhile  after  that  we  put  them  on  piece- 
work; after  they  were  on  piece-work  they  could  make  perhaps  $5,  $5.50, 
$6  and  $7  a  week. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  How  long  ago  was  that? 

MBS.  WISE :  Well,  I  have  not  been  there  for  three  years  now,  but 
I  went  there  about  eight  years  or  so  ago. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  That  was  eight  years  ago? 

MRS.  WISE:    Nine  years  ago. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  These  prices  prevailed  nine  years  ago? 

MRS.  WISE:  Yes.  But  at  that  time  they  were  paying  $5  at  other 
places,  when  we  paid  $2.50 ;  they  paid  $5  at  other  places. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  How  would  a  girl  stay  at  a  place  for  $2.50  when 
she  could  get  $5  somewhere  else? 

MRS.  WISE:  Well,  because  they  could  not  all  work  at  the  same  work, 
any  more  than  they  could  all  work  at  housework.  All  the  girls  in  the 
city  could  not  work  for  $5  a  week;  there  would  not  be  enough  work  lor 
them  to  do. 

DRIVING   MANUFACTURERS   OUT  OF   BUSINESS. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  I  would  like  to  ask  Mr.  Johnson  how  many  factor- 
ies in  Michigan  he  thinks  could  remain  in  business  if  the  minimum 
wage  law  of  the  State  was  based  on  his  figures? 

MR.  WALKER :  You  are  talking  about  cigar  manufacturers? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  No,  not  cigar  manufacturers,  I  mean— 

MR,  WALKER:  Any  kind. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  I  realize  there  would  be  more  cigar  factories  in 
operation  left  than  in  any  othei*  industry,  because  they  pc.y  the  highest 
average  wage  of  any  industry  in  the  State;  but,  taking  the  industries  all 
through,  I  would  like  to  ask  him  what  percentage  he  thinks  would  remain 
if  that  law  were  in  force,  based  on  Mr.  Johnson's  figures  as  to  what  is 
the  minimum  requirement  for  a  living  wage. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  That  is  not  the  question.  I  reported  what  I 
thought  would  be  absolutely  necessary  for  a  girl  to  live  on  decently.  Now 
it  is  not  a  question  of  whether  we  can  enforce  this  thing.  I  do  not  think  it 
can  be.  But  this  is  as  I  find  it  ;  this  is  a  condition,  it  is  a  fact.  Now,  we 
can  dodge  it;  we  can  put  $4  as  a  minimum  or  $5;  that  would  not  make  it 
right.  Illinois  now,  as  I  understand,  is  agitating  this  same  proposition. 
California  I  think  has  already  adopted  it.  One  state  after  another  will 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  257 

adopt  this  measure,  and  some  have  got  to  be  in  the  foreground;  some 
mav  have  to  suffer. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  There  is  no  doubt  but  what  the  Michigan 
manufacturers  will  suffer  from  it  for  awhile;  but  if  the  cause  is  worth  it, 
let  us  suffer  for  it. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  It  is  not  a  question  of  whether  it  is  worth  suffer- 
ing for,  but  will  it  do  any  good  if  the  manufacturer  goes  out  of  business? 
I  do  not  see  how  that  will  help  himself  or  those  he  is  supposed  to  be  doing 
it  for.  The  manufacturer's  willingness  to  sacrifice  his  own  interest  would 
hfive  no  effect  on  it;  his  personal  inclination  would  cut  no  figure.  Sup- 
posing the  manufacturer  says:  "Well,  I  am  willing  to  take  the  conse- 
quences and  pass  a  law  to  pay  a  |9  minimum;'7  how  long  would  he  re- 
main in  business?  If  the  state  right  alongside  of  him  or  his  competitors 
will  pay  a  minimum  of  anywhere  from  $4  to  f 5  or  $6,  he  simply  would 
get  out  of  business  without  doing  it  himself,  although  he  is  sacrificing 
for  the  good. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  If  he  is  not  making  good,  he  would  not  stay  in 
business. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :     That  would  not  be  sacrificing  anything,  then. 

HIGH-PRICED    EMPLOYES    MAY    BE    CHEAPEST. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  On  this  question  of  high  or  low  minimum,  is  it 
not  a  fact  that  sometimes  the  highest  paid  employe  is  the  cheapest  one? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  When  you  are  speaking  of  the  minimum  wage, 
yon  are  not  taking  into  consideration  the  highly  efficient  employes. 
They  do  not  need  a  minimum  wage  to  protect  themselves.  A  minimum 
wage  only  applies  to  the  most  inefficient. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  Would  riot  that  have  a  tendency  to  take 
those  that  are  not  efficient  out  of  the  work  of  the  factory  and  put  them 
at  doing  housework? 

MR.  WALKER:  Send  them  to  school  a  while  longer.  Train  them  in 
some  training  school  until  they  are  efficient — if  they  do  not  starve  to 
death  in  the  meantime. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  Of  course  we  are  not  drafting  a  law  or 
anything  of  that  kind.  It  would  probably  be  a  good  suggestion,  if  they 
are  going  to  draft  a  law,  to  make  it  in  a  progressive  way;  not  to  raise 
the  minimum  wage  so  high  at  first,  say,  make  it  one  year,  the  first 
year  so  much,  and  the  second  year  so  much,  and  the  third  year  so  much, 
until  you  get  to  the  right  minimum  wage.  I  think  if  you  were  to  adopt 
Mr.  Johnson's  schedule  of  the  minimum  wage,  why,  you  would  certain- 
ly drive  us  manufacturers  out  of  the  State.  I  think  he  would  move  too. 
(Laughter.) 

MR.  JOHNSON:  I  did  not  say  that  was  my  minimum  wage.  I  was 
just  giving  these  figures. 

MR.  WALKER :    Mr.  Johnson  does  not  expect  it  to  be  adopted,  so  he 

not  afraid  of  that  part  of  it. 

STEP  BY   STEP. 

BENJAMIN   LUBETSKY:     We  are  talking  seriously,  as  the  Com- 

lission   is  going  to  give  those  recommendations,   and  all  those  tilings 

ight  to  be  taken  into  consideration,  that  the  minimum  wage    would 
33 


258  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

have  to  go  step  by  step.  Of  course  you  could  not  adopt  a  just  minimum 
wage  right  at  the  start,  with  the  competition  right  around  you.  I  think 
neighboring  states  will  follow  suit,  but  it  ought  to  be  made  step  by 
step. 

MR.  WALKER:  This  might  be  stated  upon  that  point,  to  clear  the 
air  a  little  bit:  Out  of  seven  or  eight  states  that  have  already  adopted 
minimum  wage  laws,  but  one  state — that  is  Utah — has  attempted  in  the 
law  itself  to  fix  what  the  minimum  wage  should  be;  the  others  have 
provided  a  wage  board,  or  a  permanent  Minimum  Wage  Commission, 
to  inquire  into  a  given  industry  and  into  the  cost  of  living,  and  to  de- 
termine, upon  the  facts  as  they  are,  what,  in  that  industry,  related  to 
the  cost  of  living,  a  minimum  wage  should  be,  and  fix  it  accordingly, 
and  not  putting  an  arbitrary  wage  in  the  statute  itself. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  That  puts  an  entirely  different  phase  on 
it. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Also  the  locality  would  have  to  be  taken  into 
account.  One  part  of  the  State  may  have  a  minimum  wage  lower  than 
another  part  of  the  State. 

MR,  E.  C.  MANGOLD  (of  the  Sanitary  Knitting  Company)  :  I 
would  like  to  ask  a  question.  If  that  were  the  case,  how  would  the 
man  in  the  lower  part  of  the  State,  for  instance,  if  he  pays  a  lower 
wage  than  the  man  in  the  upper  part  of  the  State  and  sells  his  product 
or  his  output  to  the  same  trade — how  would  he  come  out? 

WHEN    MANUFACTURERS    COMPETE. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  They  do  it  to-day.  For  example,  a  small  town  a 
hundred  miles  from  here,  pays  a  less  wage  than  the  manufacturer  of 
the  same  goods  in  the  city  of  Grand  Rapids,  and  yet  they  compete  with 
each  other. 

MR.  MANGOLD :  Is  it  not  the  case,  though,  that  perhaps  a  man  in 
the  smaller  town  is  located  much  more  differently;  that  is,  in  regard  to 
freight  and  things  of  that  kind;  that  he  has  to  pay  more  in  the  way 
of  freight  rates,  on  a  higher  basis,  than  the  man  in  the  other  part  of 
the  State?  That  would  add  to  the  cost  of  the  goods,  would  it  not? 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  It  is  a  fact  that  many  a  manufacturer  has  gone 
out  of  a  large  town  into  a  small  town  because  of  the  low  wage  in  the 
small  town,  and  then  has  moved  back  again.  (Laughter.) 

MR.  JOHNSON:  I  think  there  is  a  reason  for  that.  The  man  in 
the  large  town  is  at  an  advantage.  In  the  first  place,  in  buying,  I  know 
in  our  business — I  have  been  in  a  small  town  myself— in  this  town  I 
can  have  three  or  four  traveling  men  right  at  the  same  hour,  one  wait- 
ing for  the  other,  and  by  looking  a  little  wise  I  can  take  care  of  them 
practically  at  the  same  time,  and  do  a  little  closer  figuring  than  where 
a  man  only  comes  in  once  a  week.  Then,  there  is  the  freight  rate  and 
other  things,  and  you  get  more  competent  help  in  the  larger  cities  than 
in  the  smaller  town. 

MR.  WALKER:    And  the  competent  help  is  the  cheapest  help? 

MR.  JOHNSON :  Yes.  It  is  the  competition,  too,  that  makes  you  the 
price  on  this  stuff  that  you  buy.  You  have  more  advantage  in  water 
and  light  and  power  in  a  larger  town  than  in  a  small  town. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  The  question  of  different  wages  for  the  same 
work  had  a  very  good  illustration  in  the  daily  newspapers  a  few  days 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  259 

. 

ago.  The  receiver  of  the  Pere  Marquette  railroad,  I  think  it  is,  estab- 
lished a  wage  rate  for  the  telegraphers  and  he  established  a  different 
rate  for  the  size  of  each  city  for  the  same  class  of  work.  A  city  with 
15,000  had  a  raise  of  |5  a  month;  a  city  less  than  15,000  had  a  raise 
of  |2.50  a  month,  basing  the  wages  not  on  the  amount  of  work  done, 
but  on  the  size  of  the  city. 

MR,  JOHNSON:  Yes,  that  is  an  individual;  that  is  all  right.  I  can 
say  to  one  of  our  traveling  men,  "You  have  a  poor  territory;  I  will 
pay  you  a  larger  commission  than  to  the  man  who  has  a  better  terri- 
tory." But,  believe  me,  the  State  of  Michigan  would  get  a  lower  mini- 
mum wage  than  Grand  Rapids.  Now,  we  stand  for  it,  if  I  can  help  it. 

THE  BASIS   OF   A   LIVING    WAGE. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     Are  not  wages  based  on  the  cost  of  living? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:     I  think  living  is  based  on  wages. 

MR.  HANSEN :    That  is  right. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  I  know  I  have  been  on  both  sides  of  the  fence; 
I  know  that  is  the  way  it  used  to  be. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Is  it  not  a  fact  when  men  or  women  ask  for  an 
increase  of  wages  they  universally  ask  it  because  it  costs  more  to  live? 

MAX  LUBETSKY :    Sometimes  the  landlord  wants  a  little  more  rent. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :     That  is  a  part  of  the  cost  of  living. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Well,  they  don't  have  to;  they  can  sleep  outside, 
if  the  weather  is  nice. 

COMPETING    WITH    CONVICT    LABOR. 

CHARLES  FASOLDT  (manufacturer  of  overalls)  :  I  am  interested 
only  in  a  small  way.  In  this  business  there  is  the  competition  of  con- 
vict labor,  and  it  is  one  of  the  things  that  ought  to  be  wiped  out.  It 
compels  the  man  that  makes  the  overalls  to  compete  with  the  fellow  that 
has  a  contract  that  enriches  him,  and  of  course  in  making  the  garments 
you  can  only  pay  as  much  as  you  have  to  pay;  that  is,  the  rate  that  is 
established,  you  pay  what  you  have  got  to  pay  to  get  employes.  So 
of  course  you  can't  pay  as  much  as  you  want  to  pay,  but  you  have  got 
to  meet  that  fellow's  price,  perhaps;  that  is,  this  private  snap  of  con- 
tract of  State's  prison,  which,  of  course,  we  find  in  a  great  many  states 
in  the  Union,  and  in  this  particular  line,  overalls  and  shirts,  it  enters 
into  that.  That  is  why  I  mention  it.  It  is  not  because  I  am  big  in 
this  line;  there  are  larger  manufacturers  here;  I  do  not  see  the  parties 
here  to-night;  that  is  why  I  speak  of  it. 

The  question  came  up  as  to  whether  it  was  the  minimum  price  that 
established  the  wage.  I  think  it  is  the  maximum  price — it  is  what  the 
other  fellow  pays;  he  compels  you  to  pay  it  to  get  employes,  but  you 
try  <o  pay  as  little  as  you  can  to  meet  the  other  fellow's  price.  In  Michi- 
gan to-day,  while  we  are  not  supposed  to  have  contract  labor,  we  have 
the  same  thing  in  another  form,  and  the  goods  made  at  Marquette  are 
thrown  on  the  market  and  put  in  competition  with  the  goods  that  we 
make  right  in  the  State.  And  that  is  one  of  the  things  that  ought  to 
be  eliminated,  if  you  want  to  establish  a  minimum  wage  for  girls  in 
garment  manufacture. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Are  overalls  made  in  Marquette  prison  to-day? 


260  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

ME.  FASOLDT:    Yes,  sir. 

ME.  WALKEB:    In  what  form?    You  say,  "in  another  form." 

ME,  FASOLDT :  I  understand,  in  the  first  place,  they  sell  the  prod- 
uct from  one  city;  it  is  sold  from  Chicago,  we  will  say,  to  the  big  fel- 
lows in  the  State,  then  under  another  name  the  same  thing  is  done  from 
Marquette  that  other  parties  are  interested  in,  but  it  all  comes  from 
the  same  place. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:   Do  you  have  trouble  in  getting  help? 

ME.  FASOLDT:  The  greatest  portion  of  the  year  I  do,  because  in 
the  spring  there  is  a  great  demand  for  help;  that  is  the  rush  season. 
As  it  goes  towards  the  warm  weather,  why,  of  course,  the  resorts  draw 
away  a  great  many  of  the  girls;  they  go  there  to  work.  They  do  not 
care  to  work  so  much  during  the  warm  weather,  and  of  course  naturally 
your  biggest  rush  comes  in  the  spring,  and  you  have  got  to  have  help  and 
all  the  other  fellows  in  the  big-list  line  require  help ;  they  all  want  good 
stitchers.  So  you  are  willing  maybe  to  pay  the  minimum  wage. 

ME.  BEADLE :  Will  you  tell  our  stenographer  what  wages  are  paid 
in  Marquette  prison  by  the  contractor  to  the  men  who  make  these 
goods  ? 

ME.  FASOLDT :  That,  of  course,  I  do  not  know.  I  know  the  goods 
are -sold  cheap.  The  goods  are  sold  at  a  price  that  the  ordinary  manu- 
facturer has  to  pay  for  the  cloth  and  the  labor;  not  to  say  anything 
about  a  profit  or  running  expense,  or  anything  else.  The  cloth  anc 
the  labor,  that  is  about  the  market  price  of  those  goods.  So  I  suppose 
the  labor  there  must  be  very  cheap,  and  the  expense  is  very  low.  I  wa& 
told  that  the  man  that  run  the  Reliance  plant  in  Chicago  was  an  ordi 
nary  traveling  man  a  few  years  ago;  to-day  he  is  on  the  retired  list  with 
a  million  or  more  in  his  pocket.  Of  course,  he  is  out  of  business  now 
because  they  have  put  him  out,  but  he  has  made  it  out  of  the  girls 
throughout  the  country  that  had  to  work  for  less  pay  on  that  account. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Do  you  know  how  Grand  Rapids  prices  compare 
with  Detroit  prices  for  labor  in  regard  to  the  making  of  overalls? 

ME,  FASOLDT:  I  guess  they  are  just  as  good.  As  far  as  I  know 
they  pay  the  same  rate  of  wages. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     Are  the  girls  organized  here? 

MB,  FASOLDT:  They  are  not  in  the  overall  line.  There  was  one 
concern  here  where  they  were  organized,  and  that  concern  went  out  of 
business. 

MR,  WALKEE:     Are  they  organized  in  the  cigar  line? 

ME.  JOHNSON:  No.  That  is,  I  am  speaking  for  the  girls.  The 
gentlemen  here — 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  There  is  a  cigar  makers'  organization  here.  There 
are  some  girls  belong  to  it,  but  not  very  many. 

ME,  WALKEE:     Well,  I  mean  for  the  girls. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:     No,  there  is  none  in  the  State  that  I  know  of 

OPPOSED    TO    MINIMUM     WAGE. 

L.  M.  SHANAHAN  (of  the  Bissell  Carpet  Sweeper  Company) : 
Yes,  I  should  like  to  be  heard  on  that  subject.  I  have  been  requested 
to  represent  our  superintendent  here  in  this  matter.  He  prepared  a 
little  paper  in  response  to  your  communication  received  from  Miss 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  261 

Hurton.  Our  manager,  Mr.  R.  E.  Shanahan,  on  receiving  the  communi- 
cation asked  our  superintendent's  advice  on  this  matter,  and  he  has 
authorized  me  to  read  a  little  paper  he  prepared  on  that  subject.  It 
is  as  follows: 

I  have  read  carefully  the  correspondence  under  date  of  March  10th,  from  Miss  Luella 
M.  Burton,  Secretary  Commission  of  Inquiry,  the  same  having  reference  to  a  proposition 
to  enact  a  law  creating  a  minimum  wage  for  women.  I  beg  to  say  that  personally  I  am 
opposed  to  such  a  law  enacting  a  minimum  wage  for  women. 

A  woman  should  be  fully  competent  to  make  her  own  bargains,  if  she  may  have  attained 
the  proper  age  at  which  she  could  be  lawfully  employed  in  factory,  mercantile  or  other 
establishments  of  this  nature.  It  is  a  mark  of  citizenship,  which  I  am  convinced  will 
not  bear  any  tampering  with  by  the  State  of  a  paternal  nature,  without  positive  detri- 
ment to  the  women  first,  and  the  State  ultimately. 

There  may  be  times  in  the  course  of  a  dull  year,  or  period,  when  a  woman's  earning 
capacity  might  be  entirely  cut  off,  simply  because  the  State  may  have  established  a  mini- 
mum wage  that  could  not  be  obtained  during  such  period  of  depressions.  The  woman's 
earning  power,  therefore,  would  be  entirely  cut  off,  simply  because  the  State  by  enact- 
ing such  a  law  had  really  deprived  her  of  her  individuality  as  a  free  moral  agent  to  do 
the  best  she  could  under  such  circumstances  and,  therefore,  to  her  detriment. 

The  effect  of  such  a  law  is  far  reaching,  in  my  opinion,  in  its  tendency  to  destroy  initia- 
tive, individuality — and  really  the  best  inspirations  of  American  citizenship. 

It  should  further  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  great  per  cent  of  factory  work  throughout  the 
State  at  the  present  time  is  done  on  the  piece-work  principle.  How  would  the  State 
in  such  instances  have  an  accurate  knowledge  of  a  correct  minimum?  This  knowledge 
would  be  limited  entirely  to  employer  and  employe.  This  fact  must  necessarily  reduce 
the  problem  to  its  true  basis,  and  which  is  that  of  individual  bargaining  between  the 
two — employer  and  employe,  based  upon  the  highest  prices  for  the  highest  efficiency,  and 
any  other  plan  of  bargaining  will  tend  to  retard — if  not  destroy —  individual  incentive,  and 
therefore  individual  effort,  and  ultimately  result  in  the  absolute  disappointment  of  all 
concerned — including  the  State.  Leave  the  woman  free  to  make  her  own  bargain,  is  my 
view. 

Yours  very  truly, 

BISSELL  CARPET  SWEEPER  CO., 

J.  W.  Shanahan,  Supt. 

I  was  further  authorized  by  our  superintendent  to  say  this:  That 
our  people  have  employed  female  help  for  upward  of  thirty  or  thirty- 
five  years  possibly  and  we  have  dealt  with  the  subject  very  carefully 
and  fairly,  and  our  superintendent  wanted  me  to  say  that  any  of  your 
committee,  or  others  interested  in  this  matter,  have  full  permission  at 
any  time  to  examine  our  pay  rolls  concerning  the  wages  paid  our  girls, 
if  it  will  suit  your  convenience ;  if  not,  why,  he  is  ready  at  any  time  to 
give  any  specific  information  on  the  subject ;  but  he  stated,  as  set  forth 
in  his  letter,  that  he  is  opposed  to  the  minimum  wage. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  I  might  ask  you  one  question.  Is  not  there 
in  your  factory  a  rule  whereby  you  start  girls  at  some  price? 

MR.  SHANAHAN :  In  the  main  there  is,  yes.  Our  business  is  a 
very  peculiar  one ;  .in  fact,  it  is  really  a  law  unto  itself,  for  the  reason 
that  you  might  say  there  is  no  other  carpet  sweeper. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     There  is  no  competition? 

MR,  SHANAHAN :    Yes ;  we  have  practically  no  competition. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Then  a  minimum  wage  would  not  affect  you 
particularly  ? 

(  MR.  SHANAHAN:  Well,  I  will  put  it  in  this  way:  I  cannot  see, 
following  the  views  of  our  superintendent  there,  how  others  than  the 
•employer  and  the  employe  can  determine  the  minimum  wage  scale. 
Now,  our  wages  are  based  on  what  has  gone  before.  We  have  certain 
marks  that  have  been  established  by  help  in  years  gone  by,  efficient  work- 
men, both  male  and  female,  who  have  set  what  we  have  considered  fair, 
average  marks  which  might  be  considered  a  good  day's  work;  and  the 
bargain  we  make  with  new  employes  is  based  entirely  on  marks  we 
have  already  established.  We  have  nothing  to  go  by  in  the  way  of 
competition,  you  might  say,  because  we  practically  have  no  competition 


262  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

to  meet.  So  our  situation  is  a  little  bit  different  there;  we  do  not  have 
to  consider  what  the  other  fellow  is  paying. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     It  would  not  drive  you  out  of  the  State,  then. 

MR.  SHAN  AH  AN:     No.     (Laughter.) 

MR.  BEADLE :  I  would  like  to  ask  the  gentleman  a  question.  Have 
you  established  the  wage  cost,  the  raw  material  cost,  of  your  product? 

MR,  SHANAHAN  :    Yes,  sir. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Would  it  be  possible  for  you  to  furnish  us  that 
established  cost,  that  profit?  You  seem  to  have  an  industry  that  is  not 
competitive. 

MR,  SHANAHAN:  Well,  I  could  not  say  really.  I  am  simply  au- 
thorized to  represent  the  superintendent  here,  and  in  that  matter  I  could 
not  say  whether  our  superintendent  would  be  prepared  to  give  you  that 
evidence,  I  am  sure. 

MR,  WALKER:     That  might  be  a  trade  secret. 

MR.  BEADLE :    Yes. 

MR,  SHANAHAN:  When  I  say  we  have  no  competitors,  that  is 
putting  it  very  broad.  We  have.  We  have  some  in  the  foreign  countries. 
In  fact,  there  is  a  concern  down  in  Newark,  New  Jersey,  that  *  I  under- 
stand is  making  sweepers;  and  a  concern  at  Wilkesbarre,  Pennsylvania, 
has  been  recently  established. 

MR.  WALKER:     You  are  protected  by  patents? 

MR.  SHANAHAN:     Absolutely. 

MR.  WALKER:    You  make  a  good  sweeper,  too. 

MR.  SHANAHAN:    We  do — no  home  could  be  clean  without  one. 

WOULD   NOT  BE  A  BENEFIT  IN   KNITTING   FACTORY. 

CARL  A.  CLEMENTS  (Vice-president  of  the  Sanitary  Knitting  Com- 
pany) :  I  am  in  the  knitting  business.  I  thought  I  would  say  that 
our  experience  is  very  much  in  line  with  what  has  been  said  here  before 
by  the  other  gentlemen,  and  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  anything  to 
add,  except  that  personally  I  would  not  be  in  favor  of  the  minimum 
wage  because  I  do  not  believe  it  would  be  beneficial.  Our  business,  I 
believe,  pays  as  high  wages  averagely  as  any  other  industry  in  the  State ; 
but  when  we  talk  about  women's  wages  we  take  them  as  a  whole  from 
the  time  they  are  given  permission  to  work  in  a  factory  and  up.  When 
we  compare  them  with  men's  wages,  we  think  of  a  man  when  he  comes 
to  the  age  of  twenty-one — below  that  he  is  a  boy.  Now,  several  manu- 
facturers have  said  they  are  ashamed  to  acknowledge  that  they  must  ask 
girls  the  question  whether  she  lives  at  home  when  she  conies  and  asks 
for  employment,  for  fear  they  must  acknowledge  they  cannot  pay  her 
enough  to  support  herself.  Now,  I  would  not  blame  any  manufacturer 
if  I  sent  my  eighteen-year-old  boy  down  to  his  factory  when  he  was 
starting  out  in  life  if  he  should  come  to  me  and  say  that  he  could  not 
give  him  enough  to  pay  for  his  own  room  and  pay  for  his  own  board  and 
everything  else  right  off  from  the  handle.  We  would  not  think  anything 
of  that.  Now,  a  girl  starts  oiit  in  search  of  work  at  sixteen  or  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  and  naturally  a  manufacturer  cannot  pay  her  high 
wages.  They  must  have  a  certain  time  for  apprenticeship,  "but  after 
they  have  become  competent  then  of  course  they  are  entitled  to  wages 
that  will  keep  them. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  263 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     How  long  would  it  take  a  girl  to  become  com- 

jtent  iu  your  trade? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:     That  depends  a  little  bit  on  the  class  of  work 

tat  she  is  assigned  to  in  the  different  departments. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     How  many  departments  have  you? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:     Four.     In  large  industries  like  ours  they  have 

>ur. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  In  one  corset  factory  in  Detroit  it  takes  thirty- 
four  girls  to  make  a  corset.  I  was  wondering  whether  you  have  as  many 
departments  as  that. 

MR.  CLEMENTS :  Very  close  to  it.  While  we  do  not  have  as  many 
departments,  it  takes  about  that  many  operations  to  make  a  suit  of 
underwear. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Have  you  ever  thought  what  is  a  sufficient  wage 
for  a  girl  to  live  on  respectably  away  from  home? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:  No;  I  have  not  given  that  so  very  much  thought, 
except  I  agree  with  the  figures  of  Mr.  Johnson's  on  that  score,  very 
closely. 

MR.  WALKER:  Do  your  girls  live  at  home  or  away  from  home,  all 
of  them? 

MR,  CLEMENTS :  We  do  not  ask  the  question.  If  the  girl  is  not 
the  girl  we  want  after  we  have  had  her  in  there  and  tried  her,  she  goes 
out. 

MR.  WALKER :  Do  you  have  any  systematic  instruction  of  your  girls 
in  their  work,  to  make  them  efficient,  or  do  you  just  leave  that  as  an 
individual  matter? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:  Oh,  no;  they  are  given  instructions  from  the  very 
minute  they  come  in  and  are  not  left  until  they  become  so  they  can  be 
left  alone,  and  even  then  they  are  under  supervision  every  minute.  We 
have  a  fore-lady  and  a  head  operator  of  the  particular  machinery  that 
she  may  operate,  that  helps  to  instruct  her. 

MR.  WALKER:     That  is,  instructing  her  individually? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:     Individually. 

MR.  WALKER:  What  I  meant  more  particularly  was,  do  you  have 
anything  that  might  be  called  a  school  of  instruction  where  you  get 
them  together  and  compare  methods  and  give  them  the  best  methods  or 
suggestions  for  performing  their  work? 

MR.  CLEMENTS:  Not  in  our  factory.  They  teach  them  in  very 
large  factories. 

RECOMMENDS    PUBLICITY. 

L.  A.  CORNELIUS  (President  of  the  Wolverine  Brass  Works)  :    We 
lave  had  the  cigar  business  and  carpet  sweeper  business  pretty  well 
idvertised;  I  thought  we  had  better  mix  it  a  little.    The  president  and 
iis  company  are  thoroughly  in   accord  with  what  this  Commission  is 
"riving  for;  that  is,  a  betterment  of  the  working  conditions  of  our  work- 
ig  people  of  the  State,  and,  personally,  I  am  heartily  against  the  method 
iat  is  proposed  of  the  minimum  wage  scale,  for  the  reason  that,  it 
ims  to  me,  it  is  absolutely  inefficient. 

If  the  minimum  established  is  fairly  high  so  as  to  prima  facie 
itter  the  conditions,  then  in  the  employment  of  labor  it  will  work 
gainst  those  who  have  the  hardest  work  in  getting  jobs  and  the  hardest 


264  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

work  in  holding  them — those  who  are  the  least  efficient;  and  if  the 
minimum  wage  scale  is  placed  at  a  figure  which  is  fairly  low,  so  that 
this  class  of  labor  can  be  employed,  it  is  inefficient  in  raising  the  just 
scale  of  wages  which  you  are  striving  to  do. 

It  seems  to  me  that  a  commission  vested  with  the  authority  of  in- 
vestigation and  report  and  recommendation,  and  possibly  publicity  for 
cases  where  wages  are  unreasonably  low,  would  do  more  to  better  the 
Michigan  condition  than  a  minimum  wage  scale,  on  which  we  will  have 
just  about  as  many  differences  of  opinion  as  to  what  a  minimum  should 
be  among  manufacturers  as  we  have  lines  of  trade. 

And  when  we  get  into  the  question  as  to  the  cost  of  living,  we  might 
have  almost  as  many  different  opinions  as  we  have  different  styles  of 
dress.  So  if  you  are  striving  along  that  line,  I  think  your  Commission 
will  have  some  job  to  strike  a  happy  average.  Along  the  other  line  we 
might  reach  the  goal,  I  think,  short-cut. 

ME.  BEADLE:  Just  what. line  do  you  suggest,  Mr.  Cornelius? 

MR.  CORNELIUS:     What  do  you  mean  by  "line,"  sir? 

MR.  BEADLE:  Just  what  line  do  you  suggest?  You  say  you  are 
opposed  to  the  minimum  wage.  What  would  you  suggest  this  Commis- 
sion's report  to  the  legislature  should  be,  if  not  a  minimum  wage?  You 
suggest  a  commission  with  power  to  have  publicity;  power  to  appoint 
a  wage  commission  for  industries,  is  that  the  idea? 

MR.  CORNELIUS :  I  would  not  want  to  make  a  statement  here  from 
which  you  would  draw  a  bill  or  recommendation  for  the  legislature.  I 
would  want  to  give  that  a  little  thought.  I  just  want  to  give  the  gen- 
eral idea. 

MR.  WALKER:  Precisely  the  idea  embodied  in  the  Massachusetts 
law,  except  that  it  has  added  the  power  to  the  Wage  Board  that  makes 
the  investigation  to  fix  or  recommend  a  minimum  wage,  and  then 
publicity  follows  in  case  the  manufacturer  fails  to  comply,  but  no  pen- 
alty, leaving  public  sentiment  to  enforce  the  law.  How  that  is  going 
to  work  we  do  not  yet  know. 

MR.  CORNELIUS:    How  long  has  that  law  been  in  effect? 

MR,  WALKER:     About  a  year. 

THIS  FACTORY   HAS  A    MINIMUM   WAGE  SCALE. 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS  (President  of  the  Globe  Knitting  Works)  :  I  did 
not  come  prepared  to  give  any  talk  on  the  subject  in  regard  to  the  mini- 
mum scale  of  wages.  I  will  say  that  we  established  a  minimum  scale 
in  our  factory  several  years  ago  of  f 5  a  week.  I  think  it  was  a  good 
thing  to  establish  that  scale  for  the  reason  that  I  found  out  that  sev 
eral  of  our  employes  in  there  were  working  for  a  good  deal  less  money 
than  I  ever  had  any  idea  they  were  working  for.  But  to  establish  a 
minimum  scale  that  will  cover  the  ground,  unless  it  is  low,  like  $4  or 
|5  a  week,  I  do  not  think  will  be  practical. 

I  believe  a  woman  ought  to  have  $15,  |20  a  week,  perhaps  more;  but 
that  is  skilled  help,  and  to  make  a  dividing  line  between  skilled  and 
unskilled  help  is  quite  a  task.  I  would  not  try  to  undertake  it.  My 
superintendent  has  instructions  to  hire  a  girl  at  $5  a  week,  some  of  them 
in  a  week  can  possibly  make  $6  or  |7;  some  of  them  may  work  six 
months  before  they  can  get  over  fl  a  day. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  265 

There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  girls  at  the  particular  work,  whether 
they  are  adapted  for  it  or  whether  they  are  not.  Some  girls  may  make 
a  failure  on  one  machine  and  go  on  another  and  make  a  success  of  it. 
I  do  not  think  a  minimum  scale  is  out  of  the  way;  I  think  it  is 
practical  if  we  started  at  a  low  figure,  to  prevent  the  people  that  hire 
girls  for  $2,  $2.50  or  $3  a  week;  but  that  minimum  scale  will  not  be 
based  on  the  cost  of  living.  Going  in  a  factory,  a  child  absolutely  in- 
competent, inefficient,  will  have  to  learn.  If  it  means  a  minimum  scale 
of  anywhere  from  $4  to  $6  a  week,  I  would  be  in  favor  of  it.  . 

AN   AID  TO   EFFICIENCY. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  When  you  established  the  minimum  wage  did  it 
have  the  effect  of  compelling  you  to  discharge  the  inefficient? 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS :  No.  I  discovered  a  certain  department  in  which 
the  girls  were  working  for  $4.50  a  week.  I  established  the  minimum 
wage  of  $5  simply  from  a  business  standpoint;  I  thought  we  would 
make  money  by  doing  it. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    It  paid  you? 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS:  I  figured  if  we  had  to  employ  people  over  there 
and  every  time  they  got  a  new  job,  if  anybody  else  outside  paid  them 
more  wages,  it  did  not  pay  us  to  break  in  new  help  all  the  time;  so  I 
made  a  rule  for  that  department  and  paid  them  $6  a  week.  It  was 
mostly  all  clay  work.  And  I  do  not  believe  that  it  stands  any  manu- 
facturer in  hand  to  hire  the  cheapest  help  he  can  get. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Does  the  higher  wage  result  in  steadier  habits 
and  more  diligence  on  the  part  of  employes? 

MR,  CLEMENTS:  That  is  my  judgment.  With  the  manufacturer 
labor  is  the  great  item.  I  think  most  people  fall  down  in  manufacture 
because  they  do  not  render  proper  assistance  to  the  labor  they  employ. 
When  I  was  over  in  Europe  last  summer  I  went  through  a  factory 
and  the  laborer  that  worked  in  that  place  practically  had  no  assistance 
from  the  manager ;  they  simply  go  and  work  any  way  they  see  fit. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     Were  "they  inefficient? 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS:  The  laboring  men  were  inefficient.  They  had 
no  help  from  the  head  of  the  house  to  govern  them  so  they  could  work 
to  advantage.  The  employer  comes  down  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  stays  an  hour,  and  goes  to  lunch  and  stays  two  or  three  hours,  and 
goes  back  and  spends  another  hpur  and  doesn't  do  his  duty  to  the  people 
that  work  under  him. 

MR.  WALKER :  Is  there  any  tendency,  Mr.  Clements,  for  the  minimum 
wage  to  become  the — well,  it  has  been  said  to  be  the  maximum  wage; 
that  is,  for  all  wages  to  fall  down  to  the  minimum? 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS:     No,  sir. 

MR.  WALKER:  Is  there  any  tendency  for  those  who  get  the  mini- 
mum to  be  content  with  that  and  not  strive  to  increase  their  wage-earn- 
ing capacity? 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS:     No. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:     If  there  are  any,  let  us  hear  them. 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS :  I  put  a  minimum  wage  in  our  factory,  I  will 
say,  from  a  selfish  motive.  Now,  I  have  the  privilege  to  hire  and  fire 
the  people.  If  a  person  does  not  make  good  at  his  job,  I  fire  him. 


266  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Whether  the  government  can  take  all  the  inefficient  people  and  debar 
them  from  working,  that  is  a  different  proposition. 

MR.  WALKER :  I  do  not  suppose  it  is  a  part  of  the  minimum  wage 
law  to  prevent  men  from  discharging  help  if  they  find  men  unprofitable 
or  inefficient.  What  would  become  of  the  help  when  discharged  might 
be  another  question. 

E.  A.  CLEMENTS:  The  government  would  have  to  regulate  all  the 
people. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    Is  there  any  representative  of  labor  here? 

A  WORKINGMAN'S  IDEA. 

MR.  W.  I.  GILDAS:  I  do  not  represent  organized  labor  of  any 
kind.  My  name  is  Gildas,  W.  I.  Gildas.  I  have  got  two  daughters, 
and  they  both  started  to  work  in  factories  in  this  city  within  the  last 
five  years,  but  I  found  the  wages  were  so  low  and  their  chances  of  in- 
creasing these  wages  so  poor  that  I  withdrew  them  and  took  them  out 
of  the  factory.  One  of  them  is  employed  at  a  store  at  present;  the 
other  is  a  seamstress;  she  works  by  the  day.  And  I  think  a  minimum 
wage  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the  factory,  not  only  in  Grand  Rapids, 
but  all  over  the  State.  I  was  born  in  this  State,  in  Wayne  county.  I 
have  lived  at  several  places;  I  lived  at  Benton  Harbor,  where  there  are 
women  employed;  at  Muskegon;  I  lived  at  Ann  Arbor,  Detroit,  and  I 
found  the  same  trouble  all  over.  I  do  not  blame  the  manufacturer;  he 
hires  the  help  in  the  open  market  and  he  buys  help,  just  the  same  as  I 
buy  anything. 

MR.  WALKER:  Mr.  Campau  is  here  representing — I  do  not  know 
hardly  how  to  call  it  myself — manufacturers  or  employers,  I  think.  Per- 
haps that  is  a  sufficient  designation. 

PROFICIENCY  AND  PUBLICITY. 

FRANCIS  D.  CAMPAU:    I  am  not  representing  anyone  here  to-night. 

MR,  WALKER :     I  will  take  it  back,  then. 

MR,  CAMPAU :  You  might  say,  I  am  the  employer  of  a  stenographer 
or  two.  I  think,  as  far  as  the  method  is  concerned  that  I  agree  squarely 
with  Mr.  Cornelius.  I  would  much  prefer  for  pure  efficiency  to  have 
this  Commission  authorized,  if  possible,  to  give  publicity  to  the  employ- 
ment of  women  and  the  conditions  of  the  employment  of  women  through- 
out this  State  for  a  few  years  and  let  sentiment  crystallize  as  it  might. 
I  came  up  here  to-night  principally  to  see  whether  or  not  this  Commis- 
sion was  working  along  the  line  of  philanthrophy,  or  charity,  you  may 
call  it.  I  came  in  rather  late,  and  I  have  no  information  or  no  knowl- 
edge as  to  what  has  been  testified  to  here  to-night  as  the  low  wage  of 
women  as  an  inducement  to  vice,  and  the  things  that  we  have  heard 
so  popularly  expressed.  If  the  Commission  is  working  along  that  line, 
I  am  sure  I  shall  be  quite  at  sea,  if  they  have  in  view  purely  a  philan- 
thropy. But  I  do  think  that  we  ought  to  distinguish  between  philan- 
thropy and  economics,  and,  whatever  this  Commission  does,  I  think  it 
should  go  squarely  before  the  people  of  this  State  and  say  it  is  attempt- 
ing to  put  as  a  charge  upon  the  people  of  our  State  a  pure  philanthropy, 
and  not  attempt  to  work  it  out  through  the  principle  of  economics. 

If  this  is  a  matter  of  economics,  we  will  be  obliged  to  consider  the 
working  woman  either  as  a  service  or  as  a  commodity.  If  we  consider 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  267 

it  as  a  service,  we  are  going  to  charge  this  Wage  Commission,  even  though 
you  do  not  specifically  put  the  task  on  them,  with  determining  in  certain 
localities  and  in  certain  industries  what  the  wage  shall  be.  You  are 
going  to  put  upon  them  the  charge  of  determining  exactly  what  they  are 
finding  there  in  the  way  of  honesty  and  ambition  and  perseverance.  These 
are  the  measures  of  service.  And  I  do  not  think  that  this  Commission, 
or  any  Commission  that  may  be  hereafter  created  to  consider  specific 
localities  and  specific  industries,  would  want  to  undertake  that  task. 

Now,  if  you  turn  it  over  and  say  that  the  wage  of  a  woman  competent 
to  work  is  a  commodity  and  a  thing  to  be  sold  at  a  fixed  rate  and  at 
a  market  price — as  we  sell  sugar — you  must,  please,  realize  that  you 
are  turning  into  the  market  a  great  deal  of  commodity  that  is  not  fit 
for  the  market. 

I  was  talking  to  a  retailer  the  other  day  and  asked  him  what  would 
be  the  result  if  he  were  told  by  a  Commission  that  when  he  brought 
into  his  store  his  underwear  or  his  hosiery,  or  garments  of  any  sort 
for  the  fall,  that  he  must  fix  the  price  of  those  garments  at  fl  per 
garment,  and  when  the  stock  became  shop-worn,  or  when  it  became  odd 
sizes,  or  wrhen  the  stock  became  depleted  or  disarranged  for  any  reason, 
he  must  not  sell  it  for  less  than  $1  per  garment;  that  when  they  became 
in  that  condition  he  must  take  them  to  his  furnace.  Now,  there  are  two 
consequences:  Immediately  you  have  turned  a  great  deal  of  waste  out 
of  the  man's  store;  you  have  turned  a  lot  of  goods  into  the  discard. 
They  cannot  be  sold  for  $1  per  garment,  and  you  cannot  sell  them  for 
what  price  they  may  bring.  They  must  be  burned  or  carted  away  as 
rags.  That,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  evidence  of  a  commodity  that  he 
cannot  sell  at  his  price  of  $1,  while  there  might  be  some  price  obtained 
for  it.  On  the  other  hand,  he  will  be  obliged  to  put  a  charge  for  all  his 
waste  onto  the  goods  he  has  left.  Therefore,  the  public  suffers  by  reason 
of  the  increased  price  he  gets  for  his  goods,  and  the  commodity  suffers 
for  not  getting  a  half-price  or  the  value  of  the  commodity. 

If  we  translate  that  into  woman's  work,  this  Commission  must  find 
there  is  a  service  value,  or  else  find  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  commodity 
price;  and  if  we  find  that  is  so,  I  do  not  care  where  you  fix  your  wage 
price,  if  you  fix  it  at  the  bottom  we  are  exactly  where  we  are  now;  if 
you  fix  it  anywhere  above  the  bottom,  you  are  leaving  there  in  the  in- 
terim a  certain  amount  of  labor  which  would  be  worth  something,  both 
to  itself,  to  the  employer,  and  to  the  public,  which  is  obliged  to  go  into 
the  discard. 

Whatever  Commission  and  whatever  legislature  decides,  there  is  going 
to  be  a  discard,  gentlemen ;  is  taking  upon  itself  a  tremendous  responsi- 
bility. I  should  hate  to  be  responsible  for  creating  a  discard. 

That,  to  my  mind,  is  the  economic  value  of  this  proposition :    Call  it 

service,  if  you  like,  or  call  it  a  commodity  and  work  it  out  economic- 
lly;  or  meet  the  situation  squarely  and  say,  "We  are  embarking  in  a 
)hilanthropic  proposition  wherein  we  are  going  to  tax  the  people  of  this 
state  and  are  going  to  take  care  of  our  discard,"  as  perhaps  we  should — 

id  I  am  not  saying  we  should  not — by  charity  or  by  philanthropy. 

it  do  not  create  the  discard  and  call  it  an  economic  proposition.  I 
not  think  that  that  is  true. 


268  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

NEED  OF  EFFICIENCY  SCHOOLS. 

To  my  mind  this  is  conjecture,  and  if  you  will  give  me  this  minute— 
you  have  been  so  good  as  to  give  me  the  other — my  suggestion  will 
be:  The  time  is  going  to  come  when  we  will  be  obliged  to  adopt  the 
German  principle  of  continuation  schools,  or  through  the  amplification 
of  our  own  school  system  we  are  going  to  compel  all  of  our  people,  not 
on  the  basis  of  wage,  but  on  the  basis  of  their  efficiency  and  ability  to 
learn,  to  stay  in  school  until  they  can  become  economic  factors.  We 
are  going  to  put  them  in  continuation  schools,  and  when  we  find  those 
perhaps  who  are  not  necessarily  quite  defective,  but  not  strong  mentally, 
we  are  not  going  to  say  that  everybody  can  come  out  at  sixteen  without 
asking  how  much  they  know,  but  we  are  going  to  ask  for  an  efficiency 
certificate,  and  let  our  school  system  keep  watch  of  them  so  we  will  not 
turn  them  into  the  world  until  they  are  fit  to  take  their  place  and  be- 
come economic  factors,  and  not  turn  them  out  as  we  are  now  turning 
them  out  and  then  ask  a  minimum  wage  commission  to  pick  them  up  as 
objects  of  philanthropy  or  charity  and  help  them  out.  In  asking  this  mini- 
mum wage  commission  to  work  out  some  sort  of  an  economic  scheme, 
I  can  see  in  anticipation  an  economic  fallacy  that  will  take  care  of  them 
at  the  expense  of  the  public  and  at  the  risk  of  creating  a  discard,  which 
it  makes  me  fearful  to  contemplate. 

I  am  saying  this,  if  you  please — and  I  hope  the  Commission  will  under- 
stand it — not  as  representing  anybody.  I  came  here,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  Mr.  Walker,  because  I  talked  with  Mr.  Clements  the  other  day  and 
he  said  he  was  coming ;  he  told  me  what  they  were  going  to  do  here,  and 
I  came  over  out  of  curiosity,  and  would  not  have  spoken  unless  you  had 
called  my  name;  and  I  want  to  be  recorded  by  Mr.  Strawhecker,  if  he 
will  be  so  good,  as  simply  representing  the  one  or  two  stenographers  I 
employ,  and  not  anybody  else. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Do  you  think  taking  care  of  the  health  of  women 
is  a  question  of  economics  or  philanthropy? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  I  am  afraid  that  it  is  philanthropy  at  the  present 
time. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  You  do  not  think  taking  care  of  the  health  is 
economics  at  all? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  I  do,  yes;  but  not  in  the  matter  of  minimum  wage. 
Taken  on  the  basis  that  Mr.  Shanahan  has  spoken  of,  it  is  economics. 
There  is,  unquestionably,  a  splendid  place  for  the  women  in  the  economic 
world ;  but  there  is  no  place,  it  seems  to  me,  in  the  true  economic  world 
for  women  who  cannot  find  the  true  wage  and  who  must  be  bolstered  up 
to  a  false  wage,  and  certainly  there  is  no  place  for  the  woman  who  must 
be  denied  a  place  in  the  economic  world  because  she  cannot  make  the 
minimum.  That  leaves  her  without  any  place  in  the  world,  either  eco- 
nomic or  anything  else. 

THROWING  HELP  INTO  THE  DISCARD. 

MR.  BEADLE:  The  statement  has  been  made  here  to-night  that 
women  in  some  lines  of  employment,  and  even  in  many  lines  of  employ 
ment,  are  more  efficient  than  men  of  equal  age. 

MR,  CAMPAU :    I  think  that  is  quite  true. 

MR.  BEADLE:     She  should  then  have  an  economic  position. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  269 

.MR.  CAMPAU:  There  is  no  question  about  that.  I  am  only  saying 
that  it  is  un-econoniic  to  try  to  create  a  false  position  for  the  woman 
who  is  down  toward  the  lower  end  of  the  scale.  What  shall  we  do  with 
the  woman  that  merely  is  worth  |2  if  our  schools  are  not  yet  ready  to 
keep  her  until  she  is  efficient?  Shall  we  turn  her  out  and  say,  "You 
can't  have  $2  because  we  are  not  going  to  let  anybody  work  who  does 
not  earn  $4;  you  must  go  in  the  discard;  you  are  an  'odd  size;'  or 
there  is  'a  stitch  dropped'  in  you,"  or  something  of  that  sort,  as  we  say 
with  garments?  That  is  the  proposition.  You  are  creating  a  discard. 
And  that  is  not  economic.  There  is  a  place  for  that  woman  in  the  eco- 
nomic world,  and  her  position  is  right  where  she  can  earn  $2. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Do  you  think  a  woman  is  on  an  equality  with  an 
employer  in  bargaining  for  her  labor? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  Well,  that  is  a  mooted  question.  That  is  not  a  ques- 
tion for  the  employment  of  women.  That  is  a  question  for  the  employ- 
ment of  all  labor.  This  Commission  will  probably  find  ample  discussion 
of  that  in  the  long  discussions  that  have  taken  place  before  other  Com- 
missions on  the  question  of  collective  bargaining,  and  I  do  not  think  it 
is  necessary  for  this  Commission  to  bother  itself  with  the  question  of 
collective  bargaining,  if  they  cannot  find  an  answer  to  it  in  the  discus 
sions  before  the  other  Commissions  which,  have  spent  a  great  deal  of 
time  on  it  heretofore. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  I  would  say  that  this  State— in  fact  all  states- 
supposes  that  a  man  is  able  to  take  care  of  himself. 

MR.  CAMPAU:    Yes. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  But  states  have  followed  the  principle  that  a 
woman  is  not  able  to  take  care  of  herself,  and  therefore  it  is  constitu- 
tional to  provide  laws  concerning  women  that  it  would  not  be  concern- 
ing men. 

ON  DANGEROUS  GROUND. 

MR.  CAMPAU:  That  is  quite  true;  but,  if  you  will  recollect,  I  think 
it  is  only  two  or  three  states  that  have  undertaken  to  protect  women  as 
to  the  matter  of  bargaining  for  wage,  but  that  all  our  regulations  are 
based  on  the  principle  of  the  police  power  of  the  State  for  the  sake  of 
their  health  and  the  children  and  the  future  generations.  We  have  never 
undertaken  to  legislate  for  women  on  the  basis  that  her  mind  was  not 
quite  equal  to  that  of  the  mind  of  man,  and  I  should  suggest  to  this 
Commission  that  that  is  a  very  dangerous  ground  to  proceed  upon. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  never  before  in  the  history 
of  the  world  have  the  women  taken  such  a  prominent  part  in  production 
as  they  do  to-day?  Is  not  the  question  of  wages  pressed  upon  the  com- 
munity because  of  the  enormous  increase  in  the  number  of  women 
workers  ? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  Yes;  but  has  there  ever  been  a  time  when  the  intel- 
lectual capacity  of  woman  and  her  ability  to  take  her  place  in  the  world 
las  been  more  pressed  upon  the  world  than  it  is  at  the  present  time? 
And  so  I  think  you  may  well  offset  the  matter  of  protecting  woman  in 
the  matter  of  her  bargaining  against  the  thing  that  woman  is  so  strenu- 
ously urging  to-day  that  she  is  quite  prepared  to  take  her  place  in  the 

vmomic  and  political  world. 


270  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

I  think  that,  too,  the  women  will  solve  for  the  Commission.  I  will 
grant  you  we  have  been  obliged  for  years  to  take  care  of  woman  for 
the  sake  of  her  health  and  the  health  of  her  children  and  the  health  of 
the  children  that  will  follow  her.  But  I  do  not  know  of  a  state  that 
has  even  undertaken  to  go  so  far  as  to  make  a  pronouncement  that  we 
are  going  to  legislate  in  behalf  of  woman's  bargaining  because  she  is 
not  able  to  do  her  own  "shopping."  That  is  further  than  we  have  ever 
undertaken  to  go.  That  is  a  question  of  woman's  mentality  and  her 
ability  to  get  for  her  money,  or  to  offer  for  the  money  she  expects  to 
get,  what  she  thinks  she  is  entitled  to.  And  I  do  not  think  that  you 
will  find  that  fundamentally  sound. 

SCHOOL,   WORK   AND   MARRIAGE. 

MR.  WALKER:  Suppose  this  system  of  compulsory-efficiency  educa- 
tion, or  efficiency  schools,  were  in  vogue  and  girls  were  compelled  to 
attend  school  until  they  had  a  certain  degree  of  efficiency;  would  that 
obviate  entirely  the  necessity  of  minimum  wage,  or  would  the  supply 
of  female  labor  with  relation  to  the  demand  be  such,  or  might  it  be  such, 
that  wages  would  still  tend  to  the  lowest  point  and  below  the  cost  of 
living  and  there  would  have  to  be  either  collective  bargaining  or  mini- 
mum wage  or  something? 

MR.  CAMP  ATI:  Of  course,  understand  me,  Mr.  Walker,  that  that  is 
a  matter  of  conjecture.  I  am  not  venturing  into  the  school  system.  My 
notion  would  be  it  would  work  in  two  ways.  In  the  first  place,  it  would 
decrease  the  supply  thrust  upon  the  market  by  girls  who  are  sick  and 
tired  of  school  and  want  to  get  out. 

MR.  WALKER:    For  a  time,  certainly.    Would  it  permanently? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  Yes;  it  would  decrease  that  supply,  because  girls 
would  not  be  on  the  market  until  they  were  nearer  what  we  might  choose 
to  consider  the  marriageable  age.  Instead  of  a  girl  being  put  out  at 
fourteen  until — let  us  say  the  average  marriageable  age  and  taking 
charge  of  one's  household  is  twenty-one  or  twenty-two,  something  of  that 
sort — instead  of  there  being  seven  years  of  factory  opportunity  for  a 
girl,  there  would  be  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  three  or  four. 
That  would  cut  it  down,  if  my  figures  are  right — and  it  is  all  guesswork 
— by  about  half. 

On  the  other  hand,  we  would  find  a  parent  charged  with  the  duty  of 
taking  care  of  a  family,  and  we  would  find  in  all  probability,  as  we  have 
always  found,  that  the  wage  of  men  has  come  very  near  to  meeting  its 
need.  It  may  not  or  it  will  not  do  it  at  once,  but  eventually  it  will  meet 
its  need.  And  we  would  find  that,  little  by  little,  the  man's  wages  would 
grow  with  his  increased  obligation,  and  perhaps  we  would  not  find  the 
necessity  for  putting  girls  to  work  as  soon  as  we  find  it  now;  and  so  I 
think,  for  that  reason,  perhaps,  it  would  eventually  become  permanent. 
Please  understand,  that  is  all  a  long  way  in  the  future.  I  cannot  see 
the  school  system,  nor  the  continuation  school,  so  immediately  ahead  of 
me  that  I  can  quite  figure  out  what  it  may  be.  I  simply  thought  of  it 
as  the  ultimate  solution.  Let  this  be,  if  you  like,  a  philanthropy,  to  take 
care  of  the  thing  until  that  time  comes;  but  I  do  not  believe  that  it 
is  economically  sound. 

MR.  WALKER:     It  might  hasten  that  day,  might  it  not? 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  271 

MR.  CAMPAU :  It  might ;  I  do  not  know.    As  I  say,  I  came  here  un'- 

jpared,  and  I  am  sorry  to  have  taken  so  much  of  your  time. 

MR.  GILDAS:    May  I  ask  Mr.  Campau  a  question:    Did  you  assume 

mt  girls  went  to  work  at  fourteen  or  fifteen  or  sixteen  simply  to  avoid 
?hool,  or  as  a  matter  of  necessity  of  the  parents  putting  them  to  work? 

MR.  CAMPAU:  I  think  there  are  a  number  of  causes.  I  firmly  be- 
lieve there  are  a  number  of  idle  girls,  yes,  a  number  of  idle  boys,  who 
get  sick  and  tired  of  school  and  want  to  go  to  work.  I  think  also  there 
are  many  cases  where  the  parents'  wages  are  not  sufficient  and  they  have 
to  go  to  work.  Now,  if  we  increase  the  school  years  that  perhaps  would 
make  a  greater  burden  upon  the  parents;  but,  then,  you  must  reflect 
that  we  are  bearing  here  in  Michigan  a  greater  burden  than  they  are 
bearing  to-day  in  Georgia  and  in  Alabama  and  some  of  the  other  places 
where  they  are  putting  the  babies  to  work  in  the  mills,  and  we  are  tak- 
ing "the  medicine"  here,  and  we  are  glad  to  take  it.  I  think  if  the  child- 
ren were  kept  in  school  longer  it  would  be  better. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :    I  think  Georgia  will  pay  for  it  later  on. 

MR.  WALKER:    Mr.  Brown? 

ALVAH  BROWN :    I  do  not  wish  to  say  anything. 

MR.  WALKER:  Mr.  Strong? 

THE   NEED   OP   EFFICIENCY. 

JOHN  E.  STRONG  (of  the  Lowell  Manufacturing  Company,  ladies' 
and  children's  garments)  :  I  did  not  come  here  to  make  a  speech.  I 
did  not  intend  to  say  anything  at  all.  What  I  had  in  mind  has  been 
so  much  better  said  than  I  could  say  it  myself,  that  I  do  not  really  feel 
as  though  I  ought  to  say  anything.  Yet  I  will  say  this:  That  it  seems 
to  me  that  inevitably  a^girl  must  stand  on  her  own  resources,  whether 
there  is  a  minimum  wage,  or  whether  there  is  not.  And  I  can  only  apply 
this  proposition  to  the  business  that  I  am  engaged  in  where,  almost  with- 
out exception — we  have  a  very  few  who  work  by  the  week — our  girls  work 
by  piece-work  and  we  know  what  we  can  afford  to  pay  them,  because  we 
know  what  is  paid  by  other  people  in  the  same  business ;  we  know  what 
the  garments  are  sold  for  by  other  people,  and  we  know  what  we  can 
afford  to  pay  them  and  still  meet  the  competition,  and  we  pay  them  what 
we  can  afford  to  pay  them  and  leave  a  reasonable  profit.  The  result 
would  be,  if  there  was  a  minimum  wage,  that  the  girl  who  could  not 
earn  the  minimum  would  necessarily  have  to  leave  our  employ,  and,  as 
has  already  been  said,  the  minimum  wage  law  would  be  made,  if  at  all, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  girl  who  was  incompetent  and  inefficient,  and  not 
for  the  girl  who  is  efficient,  because  she  can  take  care  of  herself. 

1  have  been  unable  to  see,  in  turning  this  matter  over  in  my  mind, 
how  it  is  going  to  affect  the  girl,  or  how  it  is  going  to  benefit  the  girl, 
who  is  unable  to  earn  the  minimum,  if  she  is  deprived  of  earning  any- 
thing at  all.  I  have  had  girls  in  my  employ  for  months  at  a  time  who 
had  the  same  work  at  which  other  girls  had  that  made  good  wages,  and 
yet  were  unable  to  earn  more  than  |4  or  $5  a  week,  and  yet  they  had 
the  same  work  for  weeks  and  months  at  a  time.  I  had  one  girl  of  that 
class  sometime  ago.  A  friend  of  mine  called  me  and  asked  if  I  would 
take  her ;  she  said  that  she  had  interested  herself  in  this  girl,  or  woman — 
she  was  thirty  years  of  age,  or  thereabouts — and  she  had  got  her  a  place 
in  a  restaurant  and  she  was  a  failure;  she  had  tried  her  in  housework, 


272  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

and  she  was  a  failure;  she  had  tried  her  in  various  places,  and  she  had 
failed  in  everything. 

I  said  it  was  a  pretty  strenuous  job  where  we  employed  girls  and  if 
she  had  failed  in  everything  else  she  probably  would  fail  there;  but  she 
begged  of  me  to  take  the  girl.  I  took  her,  and  she  got  so  she  could  earn 
I  think  about  |4  a  week,  perhaps  $5.  Now,  with  a  minimum  greater 
than  that,  of  course,  I  would  not  have  kept  her;  I  would  not  have  taken 
her  at  all.  And  when  I  found  she  could  not  in  a  reasonable  time  make 
good,  I  let  her  go.  She  afterwards  found  employment  where  she  could 
do  better,  I  think,  or  went  back  to  her  home  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
State ;  I  do  not  know  which. 

If  a  law  could  be  made  to  create  more  efficiency,  as  well  as  better 
wages,  I  think  it  would  be  a  good  thing.  Gentlemen  here  who  have  em- 
ployed girls  in  factories  know  that  efficiency  in  many  cases  is  very  low, 
and  we  are  willing  to  pay  the  wages  that  a  girl  can  earn ;  but  if  a  girl 
has  shown  her  inability  and  her  inefficiency  and  her  incompetency  to 
earn  the  wages  that  we  would  be  compelled  to  pay  by  law,  then  we  would 
be  obliged  to  discharge  the  girl  and  keep  more  efficient  help. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :    Do  you  have  any  trouble  in  obtaining  help  ? 

ME.  STRONG:     Not  at  the  present  time.     We  have  had  at  various   1 
times.    There  are  times  in  the  year  when  help  is  scarce,  as  the  other  men 
have  .stated.  At  the  present  time  there  is  plenty. 

CAUSE  OP  INEFFICIENCY. 

MR.  WALKER :  Mr.  Strong,  according  to  your  observations,  what  are 
the  principal  causes  of  inefficiency  in  help?  Can  you  classify  them  or 
name  them,  some  of  them? 

MR.  STRONG :  Well,  no,  I  could  not  classify  them  or  name  them.  I 
perhaps  could  name  one  or  two.  In  my  judgment,  I  think  one  of  the 
causes  of  inefficient  help  in  girls  is  the  fact  that  a  girl  does  not  expect 
to  work  in  a  factory  all  her  life.  She  expects  to  get  married — most  girls 
do — and  she  expects  to  do  housework;  she  expects  to  have  a  home.  She 
has  a  right  to  expect  that.  And  she  is  not  looking  forward  to  life-long 
work  and  expecting  all  her  life  to  earn  her  own  living;  and  I  think  she  is 
a  little  more  careless  about  her  efficiency  and  a  little  more  indifferent 
to  it  than  a  man  would  be  under  the  same  circumstances  who  expects  and 
knows  that  all  his  life  he  has  got  to  not  only  support  himself,  but  he  is  a 
man  that  is  hoping  sometime  to  be  able  to  support  a  family.  I  think 
there  are  many  reasons,  perhaps.  That  is  one  of  them  that  I  have  thought 
of. 

MR,  WALKER :  What  do  you  think  would  become  of  these  inefficient 
persons  who  would  have  to  be,  or  probably  would  be,  discharged  if  a 
reasonable  minimum  wage  was  fixed?  Is  there  any  possibility  or  prob- 
ability that  they  would  remain  in  their  homes  with  their  people  and  be- 
come better  trained  in  home  life  and  home  work,  or  would  they  stay  in 
school  longer  and  obtain  more  education  and  efficiency  there;  or  would 
they  go  to  what  Mr.  Campau  calls  the  "discard?" 

MR,  STRONG :  I  agree  with  Mr.  Campau  in  that  respect,  that  I  would 
not  like  to  take  the  responsibility  as  to  what  would  become  of  them. 

MR,  WALKER:  Is  the  State  doing  its  full  duty  now  by  these  girls, 
these  inefficient  persons?  Is  not  there  something  that  the  State  ought 
to  do  now? 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  273 

MR.  STRONG :    Possibly.    I  could  not  answer  that  question. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  If  the  State  had  done  its  duty,  there  would 
be  less  inefficiency,  and  the  question  of  the  minimum  wage  would  never 
have  come  up. 

MR,  WALKER :    If  the  State  had  done  its  duty? 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  If  the  State  had  done  its  duty  by  it.  This 
at  best  is  only  a  makeshift.  But  a  makeshift  is  better  than  nothing. 
Philanthropy  and  efficiency  do  not  go  together.  You  will  eliminate  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  what  you  call  inefficiency  for  awhile,  but  what  are  you 
going  to  do  with  it?  It  is  going  to  make  a  scarcity  of  labor,  and  it  is 
going  to  raise  up  the  others  high  above  your  minimum  to  make  up  for 
those  who  at  present  cannot  earn  a  minimum  until  they  earn  the  mini- 
mum. Now,  who  pays  for  that  difference? 

MR.  WALKER :    It  is  the  manufacturer,  perhaps. 

MR.  GILDAS :    The  consumer,  all  right. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  That  would  be  all  right  with  Michigan  if  it  was 
an  island  with  a  great,  big  wall  around  it ;  but  I  do  not  see  how  the  Michi- 
gan manufacturer  is  going  to  pay  a  much  higher  wage  and  still  be  in 
the  game.  A  woman  goes  either  in  or  out.  As  I  said  before,  it  is  not  going 
to  do  them  any  good,  if  it  is  the  intention  of  going  down  with  them  in 
the  scrap  heap.  It  is  not  much  better  for  them ;  it  might  be  a  little  com- 
fort in  misery.  But  I  do  not  believe  in  that  kind  of  comfort. 

VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE. 

MR.  FASOLDT:  Is  there  any  way  in  the  consideration  of  this  ques- 
tion by  the  State  to  handle  this  portion  that  is  supposed  to  be  inefficient, 
that  is,  to  guide  them  into  the  right  charinel?  Now,  a  girl  may  learn 
to  make  trousers  and  overalls  and  she  may  not  be  able  to  make  any 
more  than  f  6  a  week ;  she  might  make  a  first-class  employe  in  some  other 
line,  which  oftentimes  happens.  They  cannot  run  a  sewing  machine;  they 
cannot  stitch  rapidly  no  matter  what  price  you  offer  them,  but  they  might 
be  very  good  at  clerking,  keeping  books,  doing  stenographic  wrork,  any 
other  line.  Is  there  any  way  in  the  consideration  of  the  question  that 
they  would  take  care  of  that  class  of  help? 

MR,  WALKER  :    Vocational  guidance. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  There  is  a  movement  on  foot  for  the  national  gov- 
ernment to  establish  employment  bureaus.  I  understand  one  of  their 
duties  would  be  to  find  the  square  holes  for  the  square  pegs  and  the  round 
holes  for  the  round  pegs. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  I  will  agree  with  Mr.  Strong  that  the  greatest 
measure  of  inefficiency  among  girl  employes  is  caused  by  the  fact  that 
they  do  not  look  at  it  as  anything  permanent,  and  I  do  not  think  voca- 
tional guidance  will  be  much  of  a  help.  By  the  time  the  commissions 
of  vocational  guidance  would  come  around  to  them  they  would  find  the 
cage  empty,  the  bird  had  already  gone. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  Has  any  manufacturer  here  satisfied  himself  as 
to  what  proportion  of  girls  applying  for  work  are  mentally  competent 
to  do  the  work;  that  is  to  say,  is  a  certain  proportion  of  them  applying 
abnormal? 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  I  do  not  think  there  are  any  more  abnormal  among 
the  women  than  there  are  among  the  men.  (Laughter.) 

MR.  WALKER :    We  hope  not. 
35 


274  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

PLACING  THE  BLAME. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  I  find  in  a  report  of  one  factory  employing  115 
girls  that  during  the  year  they  have  had  on  their  books  something  over 
300  names;  that  is  to  say,  two-thirds  of  those  that  started  in  that  factory 
fell  by  the  wayside.  Now,  was  that  the  fault  of  the  manufacturer,  or  was 
that  the  fault  of  the  girls? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  I  think  it  is  the  fault  of  the  entire  condition, 
because  of  the  fact  that  the  majority  or  great  share  of  the  girls  who 
come  in  there  are  only  looking  for  temporary  employment.  A  boy,  if 
he  goes  into  a  place  and  wants  to  get  a  job  at  anything  that  resembles 
a  trade,  why,  he  makes  an  effort  to  learn  it.  He  does  not  expect  much 
at  the  start,  because  he  thinks  it  is  his  life  work.  The  girl  takes  that 
as  a  temporary  makeshift,  and  of  course  at  the  same  time  she  has  got 
to  "look  out  of  the  window."  One  of  the  windows  of  my  factory  over- 
looks a  factory  where  a  number  of  boys  are  employed.  I  think  a  good 
deal  of  our  inefficiency  is  caused  by  the  fact  that  the  girls  half  the  time 
are  looking  across  the  street  from  that  window.  Now,  I  do  not  think 
they  are  to  blame  for  it  at  all. 

MR.  WALKER:    Nothing  abnormal  about  that,  is  there?  (Laughter.) 

MAX  LUBETSKY :    No,  I  say  it  is  nothing  but  natural. 

GIRLS  WHO  "GO  WRONG." 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  In  your  opinion  do  a  larger  proportion  of  low- 
wage  girls  go  wrong  than  high-wage  girls? 

MAX  LUBETSKY :     I  do  not  think  that  has  anything  to  do  with  it. 

MR.  WALKER:    Not  if  they  live  at  home? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Well,  of  course,  whether  they  live  at  home,  or 
whether  they  live  away,  I  do  not  think  the  question  of  wage  has  anything 
to  do  with  it.  I  think  they  are  mixing  two  subjects  that  are  entirely 
separate. 

BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY :  I  think  more  girls  at  high  wages  go  wrong 
than  girls  at  low  wages. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Well,  that  is  simply  taking  a  personal  view. 

MR.  FASOLDT :  I  would  like  to  say  one  thing  more.  My  experience  is 
that  a  girl  will  come  in  and  say,  "Can  you  give  me  work?"  You  ?ay, 
"Yes."  She  wants  to  know  all  about  it ;  you  tell  her  all  about  it  and  tell 
her  she  can  come  and  go  to  work.  She  will  say,  "Yes,  I  will  be  around 
at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning;"  and  she  will  never  show  up. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:    Hundreds  of  them. 

MR,  JOHNSON :    Lots  of  them. 

MR,  FASOLDT:  What  is  the  trouble?  They  do  not  want  the  job  very 
bad,  then. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  I  do  not  think  that  is  the  reason.  They  simply 
realize,  as  they  figure,  they  do  not  want  the  job,  but  they  are  a  little  too 
timid  to  tell  you  so.  Once  in  awhile  you  will  find  one  that  will  say,  "I 
can't  afford  to  work  at  those  wages,"  or,  "The  work  does  not  suit  me." 
But  most  of  them  will  find  it  easier  to  say,  "I  will  be  there." 

MR,  OTTE:    Or  else  they  get  a  better  job  in  the  meantime. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Or  else  they  get  a  better  job  in  the  meantime.  I 
do  not  blame  them  for  that. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  275 

WHY    WOMEN  ARE   EMPLOYED. 

MRS.  IDA  IX  MARSH:    May  I  ask  a  question? 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    Yes. 

MRS.  MARSH :  Why  is  it,  then,  they  want  to  employ  so  many  girls  in- 
tead  of  employing  young  men  or  boys  in  those  positions? 

MB.  FASOLDT :    In  this  particular  line  I  speak  of,  it  is  very  natural 

>r  girls  to  run  a  sewing  machine;  there  are  very  few  places  that  we  em- 
ploy for  that  purpose  male  help,  and  one  of  them  is  in  the  prison  where 
they  have  got  them  and  where  they  cannot  help  themselves;  they  are 
there  for  a  long  time;  and  then  in  men's  clothing,  of  course,  in  the 
eastern  cities,  why,  that  is  generally  men's  work. 

MRS.  MARSH :  May  I  ask  the  same  question  of  Mr.  Johnson.  Why  are 
there  not  more  men  and  boys  employed  in  your  business  ?  Why  do  you  not 
want  to  employ  them  instead  of  girls. 

MR.  JOHNSON:    Well,  because  girls  work  cheaper. 

MRS.  MARSH:    That  is  the  idea.  Thank  you. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  This  inefficiency,  a  great  deal  of  it,  in  my  judgment, 
is  caused  because  a  girl,  if  she  makes  cigars  or  works  in  any  other 
factory,  a  big  percentage  will  hand  their  wages  over  to  their  parents  and 
they  probably  get  enough  back  to  exist,  and  they  simply  do  not  care 
whether  they  make  $9,  f  12  or  $15.  There  is  a  lack  of  ambition.  But  the 
girls  that  pay  their  own  way,  that  live  out  of  the  home,  I  do  not  think 
there  is  any  lack  of  efficiency  in  any  of  them.  The  things  said  here  about 
girls,  you  will  find  the  same  thing  true  about  boys.  Believe  me,  the  big- 
gest nuisance  we  ever  have  is  the  young  boys.  They  work  two  or 
three  months  and  as  soon  as  the  sun  begins  to  shine  they  are  gone. 

ORGANIZATION  VS.   PRISON  LABOR. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Is  it  not  a  fact  at  Marquette  three  years  ago  they 
made  cigars  only  amongst  the  prisoners  there? 

MR.  JOHNSON:    Yes,  it  is. 

MR.  BEADLE :    Now  they  make  overalls. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Yes,  there  is  a  reason  for  that. 

MR.  BEADLE:    And  no  cigars. 

MB.  JOHNSON:  There  "organized  labor"  and  I  guess  manufacturers 
got  together  and  they  petitioned  the  State,  or  they  fought  the  proposition. 

MR.  BEADLE :  Are  there  less  overall  manufacturers,  or  less  organized 
laborers  in  the  overall  industry  than  there  are  in  the  cigar  industry? 

MR.  JOHNSON:    I  think  so,  yes. 

MR.  BEADLE:  And,  apparently,  the  cigar  manufacturers  and  cigar 
workers  got  together  and,  working  politically,  fired  cigar  making  out  of 
there  and  put — 

MR.  JOHNSON:    The  overalls  in. 

MR.  BEADLE :    And  put  overall  making  in  its  place. 

MR,  BENJAMIN  LUBETSKY:  We  did  not  put  anything  in— the 
legislature  did  that. 

MR.  JOHNSON:      We  "put  one  over  them." 

MR.  GILDAS:  The  fact  is  this,  the  people  who  make  overalls  are  not 
organized. 


276  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

MR.  FASOLDT:  Oh,  yes,  they  are. 

MR.  GILD  AS:    There  are  mighty  few  in  this  city,  at  least. 

MR.  FASOLDT:  Oh,  here  they  pay  the  wages  that  any  of  the  union 
concerns  do. 

MR.  GILDAS:  They  are  not  organized.  I  think  the  power  was  not 
there  to  prevent  garments  from  going  into  the  State  prison  in  place  of 
cigars. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  There  is  another  element.  In  the  cigar  they 
could  not  hide  where  it  was  made.  A  cigar  has  to  be  stamped  on  the  box 
where  it  is  made.  You  cannot  avoid  responsibility  for  its  production.  In 
overalls  they  can  hide  the  fact  of  the  place  Avhere  it  was  made.  If  once 
you  get  the  consumers  to  know  that  a  cigar  is  a  prison-made  cigar,  not 
from  any  philanthropic  motive  or  from  any  humanitarian  standpoint,  the 
ordinary  smoker  does  not  want  to  smoke  a  cigar  that  is  made  in  prison ; 
and  he  doesn't  care  much  what  kind  of  overalls  he  wears. 

MR.  WALKER:  He  might  try  those  in  stripes;  maybe  he  would  care 
then. 

MAX  LUBETSKY :  It  all  depends  where  he  is  wearing  them.  A  man 
doesn't  care,  even  if  the  overalls  have  got  stripes,  so  long  as  he  can  wear 
them  outside. 

ORGANIZED   LABOR   AND  THE    MINIMUM    WAGE. 

L.  D.  MOSHER:  I  am  up  here  representing  labor;  I  won't  say  that  I 
am  representing  organized  labor,  for  I  am  not  a  delegate  from  organized 
labor  up  here,  although  I  belong  to  a  labor  union. 

In  regard  to  the  minimum  wage  scale,  I  cannot  say  that  I  approve  of  it 
personally.  I  hardly  think  it  is  the  right  thing.  I  would  not  want  it  set 
before  me,  and  I  do  not  believe  it  is  a  good  thing  for  the  women. 

I  think  the  manual  training  department  in  our  schools  will  be  one  of 
the  largest  help-out  in  regard  to  the  laboring  classes  that  there  is.  I  do 
not  believe  in  trade  schools,  but  I  do  believe  in  manual  training,  of  tak- 
ing a  boy  or  girl  and  taking  them  into  the  different  trades ;  not  only  one 
thing,  but  give  them  a  taste  of  it  all.  In  that  way  you  will  find  out  what 
they  do  really  want,  and  I  think  it  is  one  of  the  finest  things  there  is.  I 
have  looked  into  it  quite  a  bit,  and  it  has  impressed  me  very  much. 

RESPONSIBILITY  OP  THE  EMPLOYER. 

H.  F.  BAXTER  (of  the  Baxter  Laundry  Company)  :  The  whole  ques- 
tion, we  believe,  hinges  solely  on  whether  a  minimum  wage  will  be  a 
benefit  to  women  emplo}'es.  That  is  the  whole  matter,  and  the  standpoint 
from  which  we  believe  every  modern  business  man  will  approach  this 
problem.  There  is  not  any  modern  employer  of  labor  who  does  not  realize 
the  responsibility  that  rests  on  him  with  respect  to  his  employes.  We 
really  have  almost  no  right  to  state  a  personal  opinion  unless  we  have 
sufficient  facts  before  us  to  give  us  a  chance  to  deduce  some  conclusion 
which  would  have  some  weight. 

But  looking  at  it  from  the  standpoint  of  the  welfare  of  the  women 
workers,  you  have,  of  course,  the  moral  question,  and  Miss  Burton's 
exhaustive  report,  which  it  has  given  me  a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  read- 
ing, has  completely  settled  that.  And  taking  up  just  the  laundry  industry, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  277 

is  of  interest  to  note  there  that  somewhat  less  than  one  per  cent  of  the 
!16  people  investigated  had  been  employed  in  laundries  before  their 

>wnfall. 

Then,  taking  up  the  economic  point  of  view — and  that  has  been  most 

illy  discussed  by  Mr.  Campau — there  are  certainly  a  number  of  serious 
Ejections  toward  a  minimum  wage.  On  the  other  hand,  I  believe  that  a 

M-V  complete  investigation  should  be  made  by  this  Commission,  or  other 
Commissions,  and  no  definite  opinion  could  be  formed  until  every  bit  of 
information  that  it  is  possible  to  obtain  has  been  gathered  together; 
md  if  there  is  any  information  whatever  that  the  Commission  would 

sire  about  our  business,  we  would  only  be  too  glad  to  give  any  and 
every  aid. 

MK.  BEADLE:  I  would  like  to  ask  the  last  speaker  a  question. 
Suppose  a  minimum  wage  were  established  in  your  industry;  you  have 
been  getting  a  certain  definite  profit,  one  which  you  consider  reasonable, 
and  add  to  it  that  wage:  Is  it  possible  in  your  business,  if  all  your 
competitors  in  the  State  of  Michigan  operate  under  the  same  basis  that 
you  are,  to  put  that  upon  the  consumer  by  raising  the  cost  to  the  con- 
sumer? Is  it  not  possible  to  put  that  upon  the  consumer  if  all  are  work- 
ing under  the  same  wage? 

MR.  BAXTER:  Our  business  is  completely  local,  and  if  all  our  com- 
petitors had  to  operate  under  the  same  conditions,  I  have  not  a  doubt 
but  what  gradually  the  load  would  be  placed  upon  the  consumer;  yes, 
sir.  This  would  depend,  however,  entirely  upon  what  minimum  wage  scale 
was  made  for  our  particular  industry. 

MR.  BEADLE:  One  other  question.  How  long  do  you  consider  the 
necessary  apprentice  period  for  a  woman  coining  into  your  employ,  say, 
at  fourteen  years? 

MR.  BAXTER:  To  strike  a  very  rough  average — because  it  would 
have  to  be  rough — the  different  ambitions  of  different  girls  enter  into  it, 
and,  .being  so  very  diverse,  I  should  say  about  a  year  or  a  year  and  a  half, 
possibly. 

MR.  BEADLE :  If  the  party  coming  to  work  was  eighteen  years  old,  of 
good  physique,  how  long  would  it  take  her  to  acquire  efficiency? 

MR.  BAXTER:  On  the  assumption  that  the  girl  eighteen  years  old 
had  at  least  a  larger  mental  capacity  than  the  girl  of  sixteen,  or  else  had 
some  previous  experience,  it  would  probably  cut  it  down  by  ajmost  fifty 
per  cent.  That  is  entirely  a  personal  conjecture  as  to  the  difference  be- 
tween sixteen  and  eighteen. 

BONUSES  FOR  EMPLOYES. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  I  would  like  to  ask  all  those  present  a  question : 
Do  any  of  you  know  any  of  the  employers  of  the  city  who  give  their 
employes  a  bonus  for  efficient  work  or  for  quantity? 

MRS.  MARSH:  That  might  be  answered  in  one  way,  Mr,  Grenell: 
I  do  not  know  whether  you  would  call  it  bonus,  but  the  women  employed 
in  the  cloak  departments  in  Michigan  have  what  they  call  "P.  M.'s,"  and 
that  would  be  one  per  cent,  and  in  some  departments  in  two  or  three  of 
the  larger  stores  of  Detroit  two  per  cent;  Siegel  gives  two  per  cent  to 
the  women  in  the  cloak  department. 

MR.  WALKKU:     Of  what?    Their  sales,  vuu  mean? 


278  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

M11S.  MARSH:  Yes;  two  per  cent  above  their  salary.  One  lady,  to 
illustrate,  was  getting  $2  a  day;  another  one  was  getting  $3.  Well, 
aside  from  that  they  get  two  per  cent  of  all  the  sales. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     I  had  reference  to  Grand  Rapids. 

MRS.  MARSH :     I  think  it  is  the  same  here. 

MR.  JOHNSON:  We  tried  that,  and  we  found  it  would  not  work. 
We  had  to  go  around  and  judge  who  were  the  best  workers,  and  the  sec- 
ond time  over  we  had  our  troubles,  and  we  quit  it. 

THE i  CHAIRMAN:     What  is  the  fault? 

MR.  JOHNSON :  The  question  of  judgment.  The  work  they  brought 
in  was  so  nearly  alike  it  was  hard  to  tell  which  work  was  a  little  better 
than  the /other. 

MR.  WALKER:     That  was  based  on  quality,  not  on  quantity? 

MR.  JOHNSON:  Oh,  no;  on  quality.  We  had  a  fight  on  our  hands 
the  second  year. 

WAGE  BOARDS. 

MR.  SHANAHAN:  I  would  like  to  ask  how  far  does  the  State  pro- 
pose to  go  about  this  question  of  minimum  wage  scale?  Does*  it  propose 
to  come  into  our  plant,  or  any  plant,  and  say,  "Here,  gentlemen,  you  pay 
this  class  of  help  and  that  class  of  help  so  much?"  Or  will  they  come 
in  and  confer  with  us,  and,  after  they  have  gone  over  certain  details 
and  figures,  finally  establish  some  rate  that  will  be  considered  by  the 
Commission  and  by  ourselves  as  being  legitimate  and  fair;  or  will  they 
arbitrarily  come  in  and  say,  "So  much  will  be  the  price  and  we  shall 
pay  it?" 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  I  would  say  that  this  question  is  all  new  here, 
the  question  of  the  minimum  wage,  and  that  the  states  have  different 
methods.  I  think  the  usual  method  is  to  establish  a  Wage  Board  in 
which  all  sides  are  represented. 

MR.  WALKER:  Based  upon  investigation  always;  not  necessarily 
upon  an  agreement  with  the  employer,  but  upon  investigation.  The  em- 
ployers are  represented. 

MR.  SHANAHAN:  If  not,  certainly  the  State  is  in  no  position  at 
all  to  come  into  a  man's  plant  and  determine  what  should  or  should  not 
be  the  minimum  wage  scale. 

EFFECT  OF  REDUCING  THE  HOURS  OF  LABOR. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Why  would  it  not  be  good  for  the  State  to  take 
a  little  of  Mr.  Johnson's  views :  If  there  is  not  enough  of  bread  and  but- 
ter to  go  around  by  giving  one  of  them  a  whole  loaf,  why  not  cut  the 
loaf  in  two?  Instead  of  making  a  minimum  wage,  why  not  reduce  the 
hours  of  labor  and  therefore  enforcing  a  better  wage? 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  How  would  the  reducing  df  the  hours  of  labor 
enforce  a  better  wage? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Naturally  by  increasing  the  demand  for  labor. 
Mind  you,  I  do  not  approve  of— 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Would  not  the  reduced  hours  of  labor  increase 
the  cost  of  the  article? 

MAX  LUBETSKY:     That  would  not  make  any  difference. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  279 


rTHE  CHAIRMAN :     And  would  not  the  increased  cost  of  the  article 
-educe  the  consumption  of  the  article? 
MAX  LUBETSKY:     No,  not  if  we  make  it  all  over  the  United  States. 
MR.  CORNELIUS:     The  gentleman  wants  it  understood  that  that 
ms  reference  to  the  cigar  making  business  only. 
MR.  SHANAHAN:     Yes. 
MAX  LUBETSKY :   I  do  not  think  it  refers  to  the  cigar  makers  only. 
3o  far  as  cigar  making  is  concerned  I  do  not  think  they  need  a  reduc- 
tion of  hours ;  I  think  they  work  little  enough. 

MR.  CAMPAU:  Mr.  Gompers  says  the  reducing  of  the  hours  of 
labor  does  not  increase  the  cost,  because  the  men  will  do  that  much  more 
labor. 

MAX  LUBETSKY:  Mr.  Gompers  is  right  to  a  certain  extent.  In 
fact,  our  experience  has  been  that,  when  we  have  had  to  work  tempor- 
arily ten  hours  a  day — sometimes  during  rush  we  have  worked  ten 
hours  a  day — that  it  will  do  that  for  a  short  time,  but  as  a  general 
proposition  the  total  production  will  be  just  as  much  in  nine  hours  as 
it  will  in  ten.  But  you  can  keep  on  going  down;  that  does  not  mean 
by  the  time  you  get  down  to  six  hours  they  will  still  be  making  as 
much.  (Laughter.) 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  We  have  discussed  the  Minimum  Wage  very 
thoroughly.  We  seem  to  have  covered  the  ground  very  well,  and  I  am 
sure  the  remarks  of  all  present  will  help  the  Commission  to  come  to  a 
wise  decision.  As  I  said  in  the  beginning,  the  Commission  is  not  ad- 
vocating a  minimum  wage,  and  the  Commissioners  do  not  know  whether 
or  not,  at  this  time,  a  minimum  wage  law  is  practicable  in  Michigan. 
We  are  simply  trying  to  find  out  through  a  consensus  of  opinion  what 
is  the  best  thing  for  the  State  to  do.  We  are  very  much  obliged  to  all 
of  you,  and  the  meeting  will  now  be  dismissed. 


APPENDIX  D. 


PUBLIC  MEETING  HELD  IN  SAGINAW,  MAY  11,  1914. 


(Keported  by  H.  B.  Bliss.) 

A  public  meeting  of  the  Michigan  State  Commission  of  Inquiry  Into 
Wages  and  Conditions  of  Labor  for  Women  and  the  Advisability  of 
Establishing  a  Minimum  Wage,  was  held  at  the  Saginaw  Board  of 
Trade  rooms,  Monday  evening,  May  11,  1914.  Over  25  were  present. 
Chairman  Judson  Grenell,  Waterford,  presided.  C.  S.  Beadle,  Detroit, 
and  Myron  H.  Walker,  Grand  Rapids,  members  of  the  Commission,  and 
Secretary  Miss  Luella  M.  Burton  were  also  present. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  The  purpose  of  this  meeting  is  to  discuss  the 
advisability  of  a  minimum  wage  for  women.  The  Commission  approaches 
the  question  with  an  open  mind.  It  is  endeavoring  to  obtain  the  opinion 
of  all  classes,  employers  and  employes.  The  meeting  is  in  your  hands. 

MR.  BEADLE :  We  rather  hesitate  to  disclose  our  own  opinions. 
We  are  gathering  data  from  this  and  other  states  to  aid  the  legislature. 
Conditions  are  different  here  from  other  states.  Do  women  get  enough 
pay  so  they  can  support  themselves?  Living  is  higher.  Only  can  we 
have  harmonious  conditions  by  doing  justice  between  employer  and  em- 
ploye. 

STATES    WITH    MINIMUM    WAGE    LAWS. 

EDWARD  SCHUST,  of  Schust  Baking  Company :  What  states  have 
a  minimum  wage? 

MR.  BEADLE:  Utah,  California,  Washington,  Oregon  and  Massa- 
chusetts are  among  those  with  laws  relating  to  minimum  wages.  In 
several  the  laws  are  not  coercive;  simply  a  commission  to  establish  jus- 
tice, but  without  power  to  enforce  their  decisions  except  by  publicity. 

E.  A.  ROBERTSON,  of  Robertson  Shirt-waist  Company:  I  wish  to 
take  my  stand  in  opposition  to  a  State  minimum  wage  law.  I  believe  if 
there  is  any  it  should  be  federal.  We  have  competition  In  all  other 
states.  If  we  have  a  minimum  wage  law  here,  and  the  others  do  not,  we 
would  be  hampered.  I  understand  such  a  wage  would  be  about  $8  or 
$9.  How  could  we  afford  to  get  operatives  and  pay  them  $12  to  teach 
others  getting  $8  or  $9.  It  would  put  us  in  a  bad  boat.  It  would  be 
hard  on  the  poor  operatives  who  would  not  be  able  to  get  a  job  at  all. 
We  could  not  use  them  at  all  if  we  had  to  pay  $8  or  $9.  You  cannot  use 
all  alike,  some  are  better  than  others.  The  minimum  wage  law  says  all 
are  equally  good,  but  this  is  not  so.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  oper- 
atives. 

MR.  BEADLE :     Under  the  minimum  wage  law  that  would  not  be  the 


:  MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  281 

ixiinum.    You  could  pay  what  you  like  for  efficiency. 
MR.  ROBERTSON:     True;  but  if  the  minimum  is  put  up  we  might 
t  be  able  to  pay  more.    Our  wages  average  between  f  8  and  |9  a  week, 
you  put  on  a  minimum  wage  law  it  would  hamper  us  and  might  mean 
r  pulling  off  to  another  State. 

MR.  BEADLE:     In  what  state  could  you  do  better? 

MR.  ROBERTSON:  We  have  not  looked  that  matter  up.  To  local 
business  it  would  not  make  so  much  of  a  difference,  as  it  does  not  have 
competition  throughout  the  Union.  They  would  have  to  pay  f  10  a  week 
if  the  others  did.  I  don't  mind  paying  the  help  if  they  do  the  work. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:     Do  you  have  any  trouble  obtaining  help? 

MR.  ROBERTSON:  Some  times.  With  piece-work  they  would  loaf 
under  the  minimum  wage.  It  would  reduce  the  value  of  the  machines. 

CHARLES  A.  EVANS,  Cigar  maker,  Member  of  Legislature:  If  the 
employes  are  working  by  piece  the  employers  get  full  value  all  the  time 
whether  they  get  the  minimum  or  maximum  amount  of  work.  It  is  the 
employe  who  suffers.  Of  course  he  may  not  get  the  complete  work  out 
of  the  machines.  With  weekly  pay  it  is  different. 

MR.  ROBERTSON :  We  may  have  a  girl  only  earning  $4,  whom  we 
will  have  to  pay  f  8. 

H.  J.  GILBERT,  of  Saginaw  Manufacturing  Company:  If  you  have 
a  series  of  operatives  and  one  is  slow,  she  holds  up  a  number  in  the  pro- 
cess of  making  articles.  If  one  is  a  loafer  it  offsets  the  wages  of  a  num- 
ber. 

MR.  BEADLE :  I  do  not  recall  any  minimum  wage  or  any  suggested 
that  fixes  a  definite  amount.  The  question  is,  is  the  minimum  wage  the 
proper  way  of  solving  the  difficulty?  If  so,  how  should  it  be  applied, 
all  alike  or  vary  it  according  to  the  industry?  If  the  automobile  mini- 
mum wage  of  f 5  set  by  Ford  should  be  followed  by  others  it  would 
create  a  great  row  among  other  manufacturers.  I  can  conceive  of  a  dif- 
ferent minimum  wage  in  different  industries.  It  should  be  so  adjusted 
to  give  a  fair  share  to  the  laborer  and  the  manufacturer.  It  could  be 
different  and  enforceable  as  is  done  in  Massachusetts.  The  apprentice 
period  could  also  be  longer  in  different  work.  Employes  have  less  value 
as  apprentices  than  when  they  have  completed  their  apprentice  work. 

WANTS  ONLY  FEDERAL  LAW. 

MR.  SCHUST:  I  would  favor  a  minimum  wage  if  it  was  a  federal 
law,  and  adjusted  for  apprentices  and  piece-workers  to  suit  the  particu- 
lar business.  Mr.  Robertson's  competition  extends  over  the  entire  United 
States,  while  ours  is  practically  within  this  State.  But  we  have  com- 
petition from  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  Toledo,  Fort  Wayne  and  other  large 
cities.  If  there  was  a  minimum  wage  law  in  the  State,  it  would  be  un- 
fair to  those  who  pay  the  taxes,  while  the  others  could  ship  into  our 
market.  It  would  be  an  injustice  if  only  Michigan  had  the  law.  Others 
could  come  in  and  undersell  us.  It  would  probably  drive  us  out  of  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Robertson  can  pick  up  and  move  elsewhere,  but  our  business 
is  within  the  State,  and  such  a  law  would  cause  a  hardship.  I  believe 
the  Commission  ought  to  use  great  discretion.  This  is  a  good  State, 
and  it  should  not  adopt  laws  that  will  hamper  manufacturers.  We 


282  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

have  a  minimum  wage  to  start  in  with.  If  the  employes  become  better 
we  raise  it,  if  not  we  let  them  out. 

MR.  BEADLE:  What  percentage  of  the  cost  of  your  product  is  the 
labor? 

MR.  SCHUST:  I  do  not  know  now.  It  would  have  to  be  estimated 
from  our  books. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    Do  you  offer  any  incentive  to  your  labor? 

MR.  SCHUST:    No. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    Do  you  pay  according  to  age? 

MR.  SCHUST:  We  do  not  care  about  their  ages.  We  get  all  the 
employes  we  want.  I  guess  we  feed  them  too  well,  they  can  eat  all  the 
cookies  they  want.  There  are  many  problems  to  contend  with.  We  may 
pay  them  $5,  but  we  do  not  know  how  much  they  eat.  I  question  the 
outcome  if  Michigan  adopts  a  minimum  wage  law.  A  thousand  manu- 
facturers might  go  to  some  other  state.  It  would  drive  out  the  good 
manufacturers.  Robertson's  factory  circulates  many  dollars,  it  brings 
many  dollars  to  Michigan,  employs  a  large  number,  which  is  of  benefit 
to  all.  If  we  drive  them  out  it  will  be  a  peculiar  situation,  a  hardship 
to  many  if  only  one  state  has  the  minimum  wage. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Utah  has  a  minimum  wage,  but  there  is  no  record 
to  show  that  the  manufacturers  have  been  driven  out. 

MR.  ROBERTSON:  Utah  is  not  a  manufacturing  state.  Michigan 
is  very  strong  in  manufacturing,  and  such  a  law  would  affect  this  state 
more  than  Utah. 

WHERE  FIFTY  PER  CENT  GOES  TO  LABOR. 

JOSEPH  E.  POWERS,  of  Peerless  Laundry  and  Dye  Company:  I 
would  take  issue  on  the  minimum  wage,  for  I  do  not  favor  it.  It  might 
not  make  so  much  difference  if  it  was  coiifined  locally,  but  other  business 
would  be  up  against  it.  I  was  informed  by  a  labor  federation  secretary 
that  they  might  recommend  a  minimum  of  $6,  a  maximum  of  $12,  and 
medium  of  $8.  If  such  a  law  was  adopted  it  would  render  our  business 
difficult  and  reduce  it  materially.  It  might  have  a  different  effect  on 
different  businesses.  In  the  laundry  business  of  the  State  the  pay  rolls 
average  fifty  per  cent  or  better  of  the  gross  receipts.  If  you  place -a 
minimum  wage  it  will  make  *a  material  difference. 

MR.  BEADLE :    Is  it  not  possible  that  the  people  would  pay  more  ? 

MR.  POWERS:  Consult  your  wife  on  that  matter  and  see  what  she 
would  do  if  the  prices  are  increased.  She  would  do  her  own. 

DON  P.  TOOLE,  of  the  E.  A.  Robertson  Company:  Mr.  Robertson 
has  covered  my  ground.  If  there  is  a  minimum  wage  law  I  would  favor 
a  federal  law.  It  would  not  be  fair  to  manufacturers  to  have  a  Michi- 
gan law  only. 

STARTS  GIRLS  AT  $3.50  A  WEEK. 

LANDON  E.  SWAN,  of  Saginaw  Specialty  Company:  I  do  not  see 
how  it  would  be  possible  to  have  a  minimum  wage  law.  We  have  com- 
petition from  Chicago,  Duluth,  Minneapolis,  Milwaukee,  Cleveland  and 
from  other  cities  in  other  states.  We  have  the  piece-work  system.  We 
start  a  girl  in  at  $3.50  a  \veek  and  after  working  several  weeks  if  she 
does  well  we  place  her  on  piece-work,  otherwise  we  let  her  go.  On  piece- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  283 


work  they  can  earn  about  f  1  a  clay.  They  become  skilled  in  four  weeks. 
I  would  not  sanction  a  minimum  wage.  If  any,  it  should  be  federal. 

HENRY  WITTERS,  of  Witters'  Laundry:  Who  would  pay  if  such 
a  law  was  adopted?  It  would  be  the  consumer.  Then  when  the  girls 
went  out  to  buy  things  they  woul'd  have  to  pay  more  for  their  goods. 
Then  they  would  not  be  much  ahead.  The  girls  are  not  in  the  factory 
long ;  they  are  looking  to  get  married.  On  the  average  they  work  a  short 
time.  For  that  reason  the  minimum  wage  would  not  be  very  effective. 
It  looks  as  though  if  the  minimum  wage  was  high  it  would  put  the 
small  concerns  out  of  business.  The  big  concerns  can  afford  a  smaller 
percentage.  The  trend  to-day  is  to  help  the  big  fellows.  There  was  a 
time  when  the  small  fellows  could  start  a  laundry  with  $1,000.  To-day 
there  are  machines  that  cost  f 2,250.  All  the  laws  enacted,  the  eight- 
hour,  the  minimum  wage,  the  accident  compensation,  tend  to  put  the 
small  man  out  of  business.  I  can  see  why  some  labor  unions  do  not 
favor  a  minimum  wage. 

MR.  GILBERT :  How  far  would  the  minimum  wage  go,  would  it  cover 
all  women? 

THE  CHAIRMAN :    So  far  as  we  know  it  would  cover  all. 

MR.  GILBERT:  If  they  received  their  board  and  room  would  you 
include  that  ?  If  you  did  not  it  would  be  a  mistake.  It  should  cover  all, 
the  domestic  and  all  compensation.  There  is  no  reason  why  there  should 
be  exceptions.  Room  and  board  is  a  part  of  the  wages. 

MR.  BEADLE:  If  the  employer  furnishes  room  and  board  reduc- 
tions should  be  made  for  that. 

MR.  GILBERT:  Yes,  a  certain  sum  should  be  fixed  for  room  and 
board. 

WAGES  GOVERNED  BY  SERVICES. 

HUGO  G.  WESENER,  of  the  William  Barie  Dry-goods  Company: 
Employes  must  be  paid  according  to  their  services.  It  depends  upon 
their  merit.  Girls  in  our  employ  have  been  advanced  from  clerks  far 
in  advance  of  any  minimum  that  would  be  set.  They  are  not  paid  all 
alike.  The  minimum  might  give  some  a  higher  wage  but  it  would  dis- 
place the  less  competent,  and  work  a  hardship  on  women,  many  of  whom 
would  be  driven  out  in  favor  of  men.  The  prices  should  be  fixed  for 
both  juniors  and  seniors.  It  would  benefit  a  few  at  the  cost  of  the 
masses.  Wages  are  increasing.  The  pay  roll  increased  enormously  dur- 
ing 1913,  and  it  was  largely  to  saleswomen.  Additional  increases  would 
be  borne  by  the  consumers  as  our  net  margin  of  profit  is  small  now.  We 
would  make  it  up  by  charging  more.  But  we  could  not  do  it  very  well 
because  competition  is  so  strong,  advertising  is  heavy,  and  the  mail  or- 
der houses  send  catalogues  to  farmers  and  housekeepers.  They  sell  at 
reasonable  prices  and  control  the  output  of  manufacturers.  Buyers 
know  what  things  cost,  prices  are  fixed. 

MR.  EVANS :  I  have  thought  long  on  this  subject  although  I  am  not 
an  employer.  I  am  as  much  at  sea  as  ever.  It  is  a  deep  question,  whether 
or  not  it  would  be  wise  to  establish  a  minimum  wage  by  statutory  law. 
I  am  not  convinced  that  it  would  be.  The  tendency  of  the  times  is  to 
increase  wages,  especially  for  women,  that  the  conditions  may  be  more 
just.  I  am  a  believer  in  the  principle  of  women  receiving  equal  pay  with 
men  for  equal  work.  This  is  the  position  of  organized  labor.  There  is 


284  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

no  such  thing  in  labor  unions  as  an  agitation  for  a  minimum  wage. 
There  are  many  thousand  women  in  my  trade  of  cigar  maker,  and  they 
receive  the  same  pay,  have  the  same  conditions  and  are  Just  as  com- 
petent. They  average  up  the  same.  ^Such  meetings  as  this  tend  to  edu- 
cate. 

"PITIFULLY   LOW   WAGES." 

The  wages  of  women  are  pitifully  low.  There  is  no  reason  why  women 
should  not  receive  sufficient  wages  to  pay  their  way,  their  board,  room 
and  clothes,  same  as  a  man  in  an  occupation  with  a  family.  I  am. open 
to  conviction.  At  the  last  session  of  the  legislature  there  were  several 
bills  on  the  minimum  wage,  one  providing  for  publicity.  There  was  no 
attempt  to  establish  a  minimum  wage,  but  we  did  propose  a  commission 
to  investigate  any  industry,  and  determine  what  is  a  just  wage,  and,  if 
not  paid,  to  use  publicity.  There  was  objection  to  the  publicity,  and  a 
lack  of  information.  The  result  was  the  appointment  of  the  Commis- 
sion here  to-night. 

I  hope  the  time  will  come  when  women  will  receive  the  same  wages 
as  men  without  the  necessity  of  going  to  law.  In  some  trades  the  wages 
have  advanced  a  hundred  per  cent,  such  as  in  the  domestic  field/  where 
they  have  gone  from  |2  to  a  minimum  of  |4  and  $5.  In  the  common 
work  in  the  cigar  factories  the  wages  have  advanced  three  times  over 
that  of  five  and  ten  years  ago.  The  tendency  is  to  increase  the  wages 
of  women. 

MK.  ROBERTSON :  You  said  the  girls  received  a  pitifully  low  wage. 
Where  did  you  get  your  information? 

MR.  EVANS :     I  would  say  $5  was  a  low  wage. 

MR.  ROBERTSON:     Yes. 

MR.  EVANS :     I  do  not  know  that  they  receive  that. 

M.  W.  TANNER,  of  the  Tanner  Dry-goods  Company:  Do  the  girls 
look  badly  dressed  or  poorly  paid? 

MR.  ROBERTSON :     I  deny  that  the  wages  are  pitiful. 

MR.  EVANS:     If  not,  why  this  inquiry? 

MR.  ROBERTSON :     No  women  Ave  employ  are  getting  |5. 

MR.  SCHUST:     Is  $12  a  week  fair  pay  for  men? 

MR.  EVANS :     Hardly. 

MR.  SCHUST:     How  many  are  getting  that? 

MR.  EVANS :     The  tendency  is  to  pay  $12. 

MR.  SCHUST:  If  the  men  get  $12  and  have  several  children  and 
home  to  support,  taxes  and  rent  to  pay,  they  are  fairly  well  paid,  but  a 
girl  getting  $5  and  with  only  herself  to  support  is  poorly  paid. 

MR.  EVANS:  The  girl  has  a  right  to  get  as  much,  whether  she  has 
a  family  to  support  or  not.  Would  you  say  a  man  should  not  receive 
as  much  because  he  has  no  family? 

MR.  SCHUST:     I  do  not  believe  the  women  should  get  as  much. 

MR.  EVANS :  Many  women  accept  low  wages  because  they  do  not 
have  anyone  to  support. 

THE  CHAIRMAN :  What  is  a  fair  wrage  for  a  man  on  which  to  sup- 
port himself  and  family?  The  basis  is  shifting.  It  is  no  longer  what 
a  man  earns,  but  what  a  family  earns.  In  New  York  it  was  found  that 
it  required  between  $800  and  $900  to  support  a  family.  But  there  are 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  285 

100,000  nieii  who  do  not  get  that  and  who  have  families;  so  it  is  made 
ip  by  the  women  and  children. 

COMPARING  AMERICAN   WITH  GERMAN   WAGES. 

FREDERICK  BUCK,  of  Luf kin  Rule  Company :     As  far  as  our  busi- 
iess  is  concerned  it  is  all  over  the  United  States.     If  it  was  local,  it 
rould  not  make  so  much  difference.    But  we  have  competition  not  only 
this  but  other  countries,  but  we  do  not  have  the  same  protection.  We 
lave  a  small  factory  in  Germany  employing  between  thirty  and  forty 
girls,  and  their  average  pay  is  not  over  40  cents  a  day.    The  foreman  is 
well  satisfied  with  f 30  a  month.     These  goods  come  in  here  with  only 
a  fifteen  per  cent  tariff.     So  you  see  where   we  land.    We  intended  to 
move  the  factory  to  Saginaw  until  the  tariff  was  changed.    This  shows 
what  we  must  compete  against.     If  a  minimum  wage  law  is  passed  we 
will  use  only  those  who  come  up  to  it.    The  others  will  have  to  go  out 
and  walk  the  streets.    Wages  have  increased.    We  are  willing  to  pay  on 
a  fair  basis.     Personally,  I  do  not  believe  a  national  minimum  wage 
would  be  so  serious  or  do  great  harm  if  it  was  not  placed  too  high.  What- 
ever it  is,  the  girls  and  women  must  earn  it  or  step  out. 

J.  W.  IPPEL,  of  the  Ippel  Dry-goods  Company :  It  is  a  big  question. 
All  are  interested  in  the  ladies  and  their  wages.  We  do  all  we  can  to 
increase  wages,  but  I  do  not  see  how  you  can  arrange  a  basis  for  ladies 
in  dry-goods  stores,  factories,  shirt-waist  companies,  in  piece-work,  etc. 
We  pay  from  |3.50  to  flO  a  week.  We  would  like  to  pay  more  but  we 
can't  afford  to  do  it.  I  would  rather  pay  bigger  wages  if  we  could.  We 
all  favor  advancing  conditions.  If  the  minimum  wage  is  fixed  at  |6  or 
f 8  it  wrould  result  in  getting  only  the  good  ones,  the  others  would  stay 
out.  They  might  come  to  the  dry-goods  stores.  I  know  my  ladies  are 
satisfied.  If  not  they  let  me  know  and  I  will  help  to  improve  them.  I 
do  not  employ  as  many  as  Tanner's  or  Barie's  and  have  no  buyers.  All 
are  salesladies,  the  men  do  the  buying.  The  hour  question  interests  us 
more.  I  would  like  to  see  the  eight-hour  law. 

DO  WOMEN   GET  AS    MUCH   AS  THEY   EARN? 

WILLIAM  H.  FERRIS,  Tailor:  I  believe  I  oppose  the  minimum 
wage.  For  years  I  was  in  the  ready-made  garment  factories  in  New 
York  and  know  many  girls  are  not  worth  what  they  are  getting.  In  our 
organization  of  tailors  the  women  get  just  as  much  as  the  men.  Many 
of  the  vests  are  made  by  the  women,  while  some  firms  have  ladies  make 
the  trousers. 

MR.  BEADLE:     What  percentage  of  the  cost  of  a  suit  is  the  labor? 

MR,  FERRIS:     Probably  about  |4  up,  or  about  twenty-five  percent. 

MR.  WALKER :  Is  the  condition  of  women  employes  as  far  as  wages 
are  concerned  good?  Is  it  a  living  wage?  Are  they  satisfactory?  Are 
they  getting  it?  Can  anything  be  done  by  the  employer  to  Increase  the 
efficiency  of  the  employes  so  they  can  earn  more?  Are  they  getting  all 
they  earn  or  is  competition  in  the  labor  market  such  that  you  can  hire 
them  and  pay  less  than  they  earn?  Is  such  a  condition  exceptionable 
or  common?  Probably  all  agree  that  woman  labor  is  inefficient,  but 
niaii  labor  is  not  very  effective  either.  What  is  the  remedy?  Does  it 


286  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

always  have  to  go  on  in  this  way  or  can  the  employer,  the  public,  or  the 
employe  do  something?  Women  should  have  a  wage  they  can  live  on 
respectably,  that  will  furnish  them  with  the  necessities  and  comforts  of 
life  so  they  will  not  be  tempted  to  be  immoral  or  indecent. 

MR.  TANNER:  The  first  question  is  whether  they  are  receiving  in 
the  department  stores  as  much  as  they  earn.  The  competition  for 
efficient  help  is  strong.  I  do  not  believe  the  women  in  our  store  could 
go  into  any  other  market  and  get  more.  Many  women  are  receiving  a 
good  salary,  above  the  minimum,  as  assistant  buyers.  For  example,  a 
woman  assistant  buyer  in  our  store  was  offered  50  per  cent  more  by  a 
firm  in  another  city.  She  resigned  and  left  without  notice.  Within 
four  or  five  days,  and  since  then,  she  has  been  trying  to  get  back. 

We  pay  a  good  salary  and  determine  what  each  department  can  pay 
and  give  us  between  three  and  five  per  cent  net  profit.  When  they  have 
earned  enough  to  pay  their  salaries  they  receive  a  commission  above 
their  wages.  Women  are  getting  $8,  f  15,  and  even  $35  a  week.  When 
they  have  sold  goods  up  to  a  certain  percentage  they  get  an  extra  commis- 
sion, which  is  paid  every  three  months,  so  they  all  get  every  dollar  they 
earn. 

THE    EFFICIENCY  PROBLEM. 

The  efficiency  question  is  a  harder  one.  This  year  I  made  arrange- 
ments with  the  Sheldon  school  to  establish  a  class,  and  20  people  took 
the  course,  while  about  50  meet  at  the  weekly  classes.  We  agreed  to  pay 
half  the  cost,  and  in  fact  paid  it  all,  permitting  the  employes  to  pay  back 
their  share,  thus  giving  them  interest  in  the  course.  We  have  worked 
up  considerable  interest,  but  the  results  have  not  been  as  good  as  we 
expected.  The  purpose  is  to  get  greater  efficiency,  eliminate  mistakes 
as  in  delivery,  teach  the  cost  and  expense  of  errors,  give  instructions  in 
salesmanship. 

The  course  has  been  carried  on  for  two  months  and  we  see  a  little  ben- 
efit, the  lessons  are  helping  them.  Many  have  had  no  early  advantages. 
I  believe  the  people  will  be  benefited.  Those  who  attend  the  lectures  en- 
joy the  lessons,  but  they  don't  apply  them.  It  is  intended  to  increase 
their  earning  capacity,  and  the  establishment  of  the  commission  plan 
makes  this  possible.  But  many  of  the  girls  think  only  about  what  they 
are  going  to  wear,  and  they  go  out  evenings.  Eventually  they  expect  to 
get  married — that  is  their  principal  thought.  But  after  they  are  twenty- 
five  years  old  it  begins  to  look  hopeless  and  they  show  more  interest 
and  give  more  attention.  If  we  could,  we  would  only  hire  women 
twenty-five  years  of  age  or  older.  They  are  responsible,  put  their 
thoughts  in  the  work. 

As  to  a  living  wage.  To-day  we  want  five  women  whom  we  are  willing 
to  pay  more  than  they  can  earn.  About  a  year  ago  a  woman  came  in 
thinly  clad  and  asked  for  a  position.  In  her  conversation  with  me  she 
showed  she  had  a  thinking  quality,  but  the  best  she  had  ever  received 
was  |3.50.  I  told  her  to  go  to  work  and  I  would  see  what  she  could  do. 
She  started  at  $5.  I  soon  raised  her  and  she  is  getting  a  good  salary 
now,  and  also  an  opportunity  of  a  commission.  She  is  now  looking  much 
better,  living  and  dressing  better.  It  is  upon  such  as  this  woman  that 
a  minimum  wage  might  work  a  hardship  unless  it  was  low  enough. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  287 

icre  are  also  many  young  women  in  large  families  who  would  never 
get  a  chance  if  a  high  minimum  wage  is  established.  It  would  be  a 

mistake. 

GIVING  THE  GIRLS  A  CHANCE. 

There  is  a  girl  now  in  our  dressmaking  department  who  started  as  an 
errand  girl.  She  was  changed  from  one  department  to  another,  and  is 
now  getting  a  good  salary.  If  she  had  had  no  opportunity  to  start  at  a 
small  salary  she  would  never  have  had  a  chance  to  get  started.  There 
are  hundreds  and  thousands  of  such  cases.  Many  start  in  such  stores 
as  Knox's  at  |2  or  $2.50,  which  is  so  much  added  to  the  home  income. 
When  they  become  experienced  and  brighter  they  go  to  the  department 
stores.  If  they  are  seen  to  be  steady  they  get  a  chance  to  go  up  to  the 
head  of  a  department.  Such  people,  I  think,  should  be  provided  for; 
it  is  a  tremendous  class. 

The  other  day  a  little  girl  of  17  years  asked  for  a  position  as  cash  girl. 
She  came  from  a  family  of  nine  children,  whose  father  had  been 
drowned.  She  will  get  in  somewhere.  I  think  any  law  should  look  for- 
ward to  such  girls.  Schools  should  establish  a  course  in  salesmanship. 
Some  go  to  business  colleges  but  many  who  graduate  never  make  a  suc- 
cess. I  have  talked  with  Supt.  E.  C.  Warriner  on  this  matter.  Such 
courses  would  cause  thousands  more  to  study  in  the  high  school — those 
who  now  drop  out  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades.  What  do  they  get 
in  education  now?  Nothing  they  can  use.  They  can't  teach.  There  is 
manual  training  for  boys  and  there  should  be  another  form  for  girls.  We 
do  have  some  girls  who  have  studied  stenography  and  bookkeeping  in 
the  high  school. 

GIRLS  WHO  QUIT. 

MR.  WALKEK :  If  you  drafted  a  minimum  wage  law,  how  long  a 
period  of  time  would  you  except  for  apprentices? 

MR.  TANNER:  Not  less  than  six  months  and  it  would  be  better  if 
it  was  a  year.  Any  girl  in  a  dry-goods  store  who  is  bright  will  not  stay 
there  long,  for  customers  are  attracted  to  her  and  they  tell  the  other  stores 
which  will  offer  her  more.  There  is  competition  for  efficient  help.  Out 
of  a  hundred  girls  two  are  experienced.  Nine  out  of  ten  have  no  great 
prospect  in  business.  Perhaps  they  should  be  given  more  time  as  some 
take  longer  to  teach  them.  Girls  who  are  slow  in  learning  should  be 
kept  long  enough,  but  they  would  not  be  under  a  high  salary. 

MR.  ROBERTSON:  We  have  between  300  and  350  employes.  We 
find  that  not  over  fifty  per  cent  are  efficient.  A  certain  part  of  them 
after  earning  $7  or  f  S  in  a  week  will  lay  down  until  the  next  week. 
They  have  enough  to  dress  on,  and  they  just  won't  work  although  they 
could  just  as  well  earn  $15. 

MR.  WALKER :  You  say  when  some  of  the  girls  get  enough  to  dress 
on  they  quit.  How  much  do  these  girls  turn  in  to  their  own  homes? 

MR.  ROBERTSON:     The  chances  are  they  turn  in  about  $3  a  week. 

MR.  WALKER:  It  has  been  found  generally  in  foreign-born  families 
that  nearly  all  of  the  money  is  turned  in. 

MR,  ROBERTSON :  The  girls  are  well  dressed,  the  female  help  have 
excellent  conditions.  We  have  competition  in  New  York  city  where  the 


288  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

foreigners  are  employed.  If  visitors  come  in  our  factories  all  the  em- 
ployes stop  and  look  at  them,  but  in  New  York  employes  never  look 
up.  It  is  an  entirely  different  class,  and  they  are  much  better  off  here. 

MR.  WALKER:  You  say  fifty  per  cent  are  efficient.  If  the  other 
fifty  per  cent  are  inefficient  is  it  because  they  can't  learn? 

MR.  ROBERTSON :  No,  they  just  won't  work  when  they  get  enough 
for  a  week. 

MR.  SCHUST:  Is  it  a  good  thing  for  Michigan  to  have  a  minimum 
wage  with  200,000  women  in  gainful  occupations?  Suppose  you  pass 
a  law  fixing  the  minimum  at  f 8  a  week.  The  larger  manufacturers  can- 
not stand  it  and  will  move  to  other  states  and  perhaps  take  their  help 
with  them.  Say  six  or  seven  firms  pull  out  of  Saginaw,  those  which 
pay  the  highest  wages,  leaving  two  or  three  thousand  women  idle.  Who 
will  hire  them  ?  Is  it  good  for  the  women  or  the  State  ?  To  the  consumer 
things  will  be  higher  and  the  women  will  be  out  of  work.  If  it  is  a 
federal  law  the  masses  will  pay,  and  there  will  be  protection  to  all. 

MR.  WALKER:  Is  there  anything  you  can  suggest  to  better  the 
wages  and  conditions,  or  are  they  satisfactory?  If  everything  is  lovely 
then  there  is  no  call  for  this  investigation. 

MR.  ROBERTSON:  The  state  factory  inspector  comes  to  the  plant. 
She  does  not  ask  the  ages,  she  takes  the  names  whether  they  are  working 
or  not.  The  reports  are  not  correct. 

MR.  IPPEL:  How  would  you  class  them?  Some  are  producing  and 
work  all  the  time,  some  are  in  department  stores,  some  work  only  part 
of  the  time.  How  are  you  going  to  class  them  to  establish  a  minimum 
wage  ? 

MR.  WALKER :  Only  a  few  attempt  to  establish  a  minimum  wage  for 
all  women  employes.  Instead  there  is  provided  a  minimum  wage  board 
to  inquire  into  the  particular  industry  and  determine  what  is  a  fair 
wage  in  that  industry.  They  do  not  fix  the  wage  in  the  statutes  but 
provide  the  machinery  for  Avorking  that  out. 

MR.  BUCK:    Do  the  women  want  it? 

THE  CHAIRMAN:    We  do  not  know. 

MR.  GILBERT:  There  has  been  an  advance  of  fifty  per  cent  in  the 
cost  of  things,  thirty  per  cent  in  wages,  twenty  per  cent  in  inefficiency. 
How  are  you  going  to  help  with  a  minimum  wage?  How  care  for  in- 
efficiency ?  It  might  be  a  great  thing  if  equitable  to-day,  but  what  about 
to-morrow  ? 

MR.  WALKER :    The  minimum  wage  would  not  be  permanent. 

MR.  GILBERT:  Inefficiency  has  increased  twenty  per  cent  in  five 
years. 

MALE   OR   FEMALE    HELP. 

MR.  TANNER:  We  had  a  dress-goods  department  employing  any- 
where from  20  to  G5  girls.  Because  of  the  wages  and  inefficiency  we 
were  obliged  to  close  it  up  when  there  were  45  girls  employed.  The  losses 
were  so  great  we  could  not  do  business. 

MR.  WALKER:    Is  female  help  relatively  more  inefficient  than  male? 

MR.  TANNER:  I  cannot  say  for  sure.  On  every  pay  roll  we  have  a 
large  number  of  women  who  are  absent  one-half  dayj  two  and  three 
days,  while  there  are  many  men  who  never  lose  any  time.  You  can  de- 
pend upon  the  men.  Some  in  fifteen  years  have  had  no  time  off  except 
for  vacations.  This  permanence  of  nieu  is  true  with  very  few  women. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  289 

MR.  GILBERT :    Men  are  as  inefficient  as  women! 

MR.  IPPEL:  To  sense  how  the  community  stands  on  this  matter  I 
make  a  motion  we  take  a  vote. 

MR.  WALKER:  We  are  not  here  to"  see  how  many  are  opposed  or 
in  favor,  but  to  get  the  reasons. 

M  R.  IPPEL :  We  are  all  at  sea  now.  We  favor  advancing  conditions, 
but  how  to.  do  it  is  the  question.  We  have  nothing  to  make  an  argument 
upon. 

MR.  WALKER :  The  question  is  whether  a  minimum  wage  law  would 
be  practicable  or  not. 

THE  CHAIRMAN:  Four  out  of  five  of  the  employing  class  are  op- 
posed to  a  minimum  wage,  but  that  is  not  a  conclusive  argument  against 
it.  The  questions  the  Commissioners  have  put  have  been  for  the  pur- 
pose of  drawing  out  facts,  not  to  buttress  any  position  for  or  against 
a  minimum  wage. 

37 


APPENDIX  E. 


THE  MINIMUM  WAGE  AND    THE    MICHIGAN    LAUNDRYMHN'S 

ASSOCIATION. 


Discussion  by  Invitation,  at  the  Annual  Convention  at  Bay  City,  May 

12,  1914. 

MYRON  H.  WALKER  of  the  Commission :  Mr.  Chairman,  ladies  and 
gentlemen:  It  was  not  my  intention,  and  I  think  not  of  any  member 
of  the  Commission  to  make  an  address  this  afternoon.  We  came  here  at 
the  invitation  of  the  association,  the  idea  being,  I  suppose,  that  by 
comment,  discussion  and  counsel,  some  degree  of  the  truth  and  fine 
wisdom  might  be  arrived  at. 

May  I  make  clear  in  a  moment  or  two  just  what  we  are  appointed 
for,  and  what  we  are  trying  to  find  out?  We  are  appointed  by  virtue 
of  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  I  believe  it  is  Act  290  of  the  laws  of  1913, 
by  the  Governor  of  this  State,  to  investigate  into  the  conditions  of  female 
employes  and  labor  in  this  State,  the  wages  paid  to  them,  whether  such 
wages  are  adequate  for  the  necessary  cost  of  living  and  to  maintain  the 
worker  in  health.  We  are  commissioned  under  that  act  with  a  certain 
duty,  but  it  was  not  of  our  own  seeking  nor  of  our  own  originating.  We 
are  requested,  having  made  that  investigation,  to  report  to  the  next  ses- 
sion of  the  Legislature,  setting  forth  a  comprehensive  plan  and  recom- 
mending such  legislative  action  as  we  shall  conclude  is  necessary  as  to 
ihe  subject  of  minimum  wages  for  female  employes.  We  are  given 
power  to  summon  witnesses  and  compel  the  production  of  books,  etc., 
and  in  that  connection  permit  me  to  say  for  myself,  now,  and  for  the 
Commission,  that  we  have  tried  to  avoid  any  sensational  methods  what- 
ever. 

You  probably  have  seen  a  little  of  the  Minimum  Wage  Commission. 
We  held  a  meeting  last  night  in  Saginaw.  We  held  one  in  Grand  Rapids, 
and  they  have  not  this  far  been  sensational,  and  we  greatly  desire  to 
avoid  any  seeming  sensations.  Our  expenses  are  paid,  but  we  are  giving 
our  time  because  we  felt  that  having  been  requested  to  act,  it  was  a  duty 
that  we  could  not  forego. 

First,  Michigan  is  not  the  first  state  to  take  up  and  investigate  the 
subject  of  minimum  wages  for  women ;  it  is  very  far  from  being  the  first 
state.  California,  Colorado,  Massachusetts,  Minnesota,  Nebraska,  Ore- 
gon. Utah,  Washington  and  Wisconsin,  all  have  minimum  wage  laws, 
and  minimum  wage  commissions  to  carry  out  those  laws  or  enforce 
them.  Only  Utah  in  its  statute  endeavors  to  fix  that  minimum  wage. 
It  is  seventy-five  cents  a  day  for  minors,  it  is  ninety  cents  a  day  for 
apprentices,  it  is  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  for  women  over  twenty-one  years 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  291 

of  age.    This  is  the  only  state  that  lias  put  right  into  the  statute  itself 
what  the  minimum  wage  should  be. 

The  other  states  have  provided  for  the  appointment  of  minimum 
wage  commissions.  In  Oregon  it  is  called  an  Industrial  Welfare  Asso- 
ciation, a  permanent  commission  to  have  the  general  charge  of  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  law,  and  in  many  of  the  states  the  law  provides  for 
a  wage  board  or  boards  in  the  case  of  any  general  industry.  In  other 
words,  the  question  arises  in  a  given  locality  and  in  a  given  industry 
whether  the  wages  that  are  paid  are  sufficient,  proper  or  just. 

I  noticed  recently  that  in  Oregon  reports  as  to  what  should  be  a 
minimum  wage  have  usually  been  unanimous,  that  their  report  is  not 
final,  but  is  subject  to  the  final  action  of  the  permanent  commission  as 
to  their  approval.  In  Massachusetts  it  provides  that  the  wage  so  agreed 
upon  and  determined  shall  be  made  public,  and  that  if  any  employer 
does  not  pay  that  wage  after  a  certain  notice  and  certain  time  so  speci- 
fied that  the  fact  that  he  doesn't  pay  that  wage  may  be  published  and 
made  public,  and  the  wages  that  he  does  pay.  In  other  words,  they 
throw  on  the  light.  Publicity  is  the  sole  remedy  provided  by  Massa- 
chusetts. 

I  think  that  is  about  what  I  had  in  mind  to  say  in  trying  to  place 
before  you  so  that  you  could  place  before  us  your  views  intelligently 
and  not  misapprehensively.  I  think  that  is  all  that  need  be  said.  The 
meeting  is  in  the  hands  of  the  chairman  of  this  association.  We  are 
here  to  learn,  and  if  we  should  ask  you  any  questions  don't  take  it  that 
we  are  criticising,  or  that  we  are  even  antagonistic;  we  may  be  or  may 
not  be;  but  that  we  are  seeking  after  the  truth.  I  know  there  isn't  a 
member  of  this  Commission  that  wants  anything  but  facts  and  your  con- 
clusions, and  we  have  no  ulterior  motive,  or  anything  else  along  that  line. 

MR.  CniDSEY:  We  are  very  proud  of  the  fact  that  we  have  got 
Ilie  Commission  with  us  this  afternoon,  and  also  we  want  to  thank  the 
Commission  for  the  Secretary  that  they  have  engaged,  because  Miss 
r»nrton  is  a  friend  of  the  Laundrymen's  Association.  We  had  an  ad- 
dress by  her  at  Battle  Creek  last  May,  a  year  ago,  and  it  is  with  great 
pleasure  that  we  have  the  Commission  and  Miss  Burton  this  afternoon. 
In  order  to  start  these  proceedings,  I  am  going  to  call  upon  a  gentleman 
who  is  well  known  to  the  Laundrymen's  Association  of  the  State  of 
Michigan. 

THOMAS  O'CONNELL :  Political  economy  teaches  us  that  wages  are 
determined  by  the  law  of  supply  and  demand  and  that  the  employer 
cannot  fix  wages.  If  he  cannot  and  does  not  fix  wages,  he  cannot  be 
In ild  responsible  for  unfair  wages  so  far  as  such  may  exist.  The  wage 
of  any  person  should  and  does  depend  upon  his  productivity,  which  in 
turn  is  the  result  of  skill,  industry,  and  experience.  The  skilled  and 
industrious  employe  is  in  great  demand  while  the  unskilled  or  shiftless 
worker  is  not  in  great  demand,  because  such  worker  produces  little  and 
may  waste  considerable  material  for  the  employer.  That  worker  re- 
ceives low  wages  because  he  deserves  no  more  than  he  earns.  The  way 
for  any  worker  to  increase  his  wages  is  to  become  more  skilled  and  in- 
dustrious. 

Business,  in  the  long  run,  is  conducted  only  when  it  is  profitable; 
sentiment  does  not  control  and  cannot  control  any  successful  business. 
Since  business  is  conducted  only  on  a  basis  of  profit,  an  employer  will 

• 


292  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

not  employ  permanently  persons  who  are  not  profitable  to  him.  No 
employe  can  expect  to  receive  more  in  wages  than  he  actually  produced 
for  the  business.  „ 

Women  should  have  occupations,  and  not  remain  idle.  They  should 
be  occupied  either  in  the  home  or  in  some  business,  trade  or  profession. 
They  should  not  be  idle,  and  should  either  be  in  a  school,  preferably  an 
industrial  or  trade  school,  or  at  work.  An  idle  girl  is  in  far  greater 
danger  from  evil  influences  than  a  girl  who  works.  Idleness  is  a  curse 
to  society,  because  the  idler  consumes  without  producing  and  society 
not  only  loses  the  productive  force  of  the  idlers,  but  also  whatever 
these  idlers  consume.  It  is  a  direct  cause  for  the  high  cost  of  living. 

Low  wages  for  factory  and  salesgirls  are  due  to  the  large  supply  of 
girls  with  little  training,  who  are  poorly  fitted  for  doing  anything.  The 
fact  that  the  employer  gives  them  employment  even  at  low  wages  is 
a  benefit  to  them,  their  family,  and  society,  because  the  girls  are  pro- 
ductively employed.  If  they  are  employed  even  at  low  wages,  society 
gains  just  to  the  extent  that  they  are  productive. 

The  effects  of  an  $8  a  week  minimum  wage  will  be  pronounced,  but 
any  minimum  wage  will  have  similar  'effects.  The  law  will  be  most  detri- 
mental to  those  earning  less  than  the  minimum.  It  will  affect  the  small 
employer  very  seriously,  because  it  gives  him  a  bad  proportion  of  fac- 
tors when  he  has  little  room  for  readjustment,  and  may  force  many  small 
employers  out  of  business.  The  effect  on  large  business  will  be  slight, 
for  it  will  result  in  slight  changes  in  the  organization  of  the  store  or 
shop,  an  increase  in  the  use  of  automatic  machines  and  devices,  or  an- 
other system,  an  increase  in  the  cost  of  articles  produced  or  sold,  and 
in  some  cases  in  a  slightly  decreased  profit.  If  an  fS  minimum  wage 
were  established  practically  all  girls  whose  efficiency  is  so  low  that  they 
cannot  make  themselves  worth  that  price  to  the  employer,  will  be  dis- 
charged in  the  course  of  time.  Each  girl  that  remains  will  receive  $8i 
as  before,  and  so  will  be  benefited  but  slightly  at  best,  if  not  really  in- 
jured. In  place  of  the  discharged  girls  will  come  men  and  boys. 

The  girl  who  formerly  earned  less  than  the  minimum  cannot  now  be 
employed  anywhere,  because  she  is  not  profitable  to  the  employer  at  the 
minimum  wage,  and  the  law  would  make  it  a  crime  for  him  to  employ 
her  at  anything  else  than  the  minimum.  The  inexperienced  girl  or  ap- 
prentice will  not  be  employed  except  under  a  long  time  contract.  She 
will  then  be  a  burden  on  the  family  instead  of  an  aid;  society  will  be- 
come less  productive  and  with  less  produced,  the  cost  of  living  will  ulti- 
mately become  higher. 

The  minimum  wage  scale  would  increase  the  cost  of  living.  By  mak- 
ing both  workers  and  machines  idle  it  would  cause  less  to  be  produced 
and  that  would  mean  higher  prices  for  each  unit  of  the  lessened  pro- 
duct. It  would  lower  the  real  wages  of  all  workers,  for  their  wages 
would  buy  less  of  the  necessaries  of  life.  Any  curtailment  of  product 
affects  the  prices  of  the  necessaries  of  life  first  and  most  strongly,  caus- 
ing the  prices  of  the  necessaries  to  increase  out  of  proportion  to  the 
prices  of  other  goods.  The  employer,  although  he  may  lose  part  of  his 
profits,  or  even  be  forced  out  of  business,  does  not  have  to  pay  the  in- 
creased cost  out  of  any  fund.  Increased  cost  means  higher  prices. 

The  remedy  for  low  wages  is  not  the  minimum  wage  law.  but  in- 
creased industrial  efficiency,  so  that  there  will  be  more  produced  and  at 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  293 

lower  prices  because  of  the  full  utilization  of  capital  and  other  pro- 
ductive forces  of  society.  The  minimum  wage  would  help  no  one,  but 
lie  detrimental  to  many;  increased  industrial  efficiency  is  beneficial  to 
nil. 

If  n  minimum  wage  is  to  menu  a  '"'living  wage"  and  wages  tiro  not  i<> 
be  determined  by  the  ability,  skill,  experience,  industry,  etc.,  but:  by  the 
cost  of  living,  how  is  the  cost  of  living  to  be  determined?  Nationality, 
education,  skill,  etc.,  determine  the  status  of  the  individual,  his  position 
in  the  business  world,  his  position  in  society  and  the  cost  of  his  living. 
All  these  and  many  more  must  be  taken  into  consideration. 

The  minimum  wage  question  is  principally  economic  and  not  social. 
Wages  depend  upon,  business  and  business  must  be  conducted  in  accord- 
ance with  and  attested  by  economic  laws  and  not  by  sentiment.  Wages 
must,  in  the  long  run,  .depend  upon  the  law  of  supply  and  demand,  what 
the  individual  is  worth  in  his  or  her  earning  power.  The  true  economic 
way  of  increasing  wages  is  to  increase  efficiency,  productivity  and  earn- 
ing power.  This  can  be  done  through  vocational  education. 

JOHN  J.  RYAN,  of  Kalamazoo:  Ladies  and  gentlemen:  I  didn't 
come  here  to-day  to  talk  on  this  subject.  I  want  to  relate  a  little  ex- 
perience to  you.  Several  years  ago  in  Kalamazoo  we  had  a  little  flurry 
in  one  of  our  banks,  and  within  another  year  we  had  another  flurry 
which  took  away  a  million  of  dollars  in  about  six  weeks'  time.  One 
morning  a  lady  who  had  been  with  us  a  number  of  years  stepped  into 
my  office,  and  said:  "Mr. 'By an,  I  want  to  ask  you  a  fair  question:  Is 
this  bank  that  is  having  a  run  on,  is  it  in  bad  shape?"  She  says :  "I  have 
$750  in  that  bank,"  and  she  started  in  at  $5  a  week,  and  her  daughter  is 
now  working  in  the  laundry  getting  $D  a  week.  The  mother  has  been 
with  us  fifteen  years. 

I  am  stating  this  experience  to  show  you  what  people  can  do  on  a 
wage.  In  that  time  she  had  bought  her  husband  one  suit  of  clothes  a 
yea  i-  and  had  given  him  spending  money.  She  has  bought  a  home,  and 
any  time  I  will  be  glad  to  introduce  you  to  her.  We  have  a  lady  who 
has  Avorked  for  us  a  number  of  years  and  she  got  $1.25  a  day,  and  ironed 
from  eighteen  to  twenty  shirt-waists  a  day,  and  she  will  make  $2.50 
every  day  now,  and  is  55  years  of  age.  Now  the  result  of  that  has  been 
this,  this  winter  she  didn't  work.  Now,  I  think  that  is  just  exactly 
what  you  are  going  to  bring  about,  that  they  will  work  themselves  to 
death. 

MB.  GRENELL,  of  the  Commission:  May  I  ask  one  question.  Do 
you  have  any  difficulty  in  getting  all  the  help  you  want? 

MB.  BYAN:  This  year,  no.  The  city  o'f  Detroit  has  about  r>r>  steam 
plants  or  power  plants.  The  city  of  Chicago  has  between  three  or  four 
hundred,  and  one  of  the  largest  laundries  there  is  represented  here  this 
afternoon  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Barkey,  who  is  also  a  member  of  the  executive 
committee  of  the  association.  I  would  like  to  hear  from  Mr.  Barkey. 

J.  A.  BARKEY  of  Chicago:  Mr.  Chairman,  ladies  and  gentlemen:  I 
don't  know  that  I  can  add  much  to  what  has  been  said  on  the  minimum 
wage  question.  We  in  Chicago  believe  that  the  business  of  our  organiza- 
tion rests  in  the  hands  of  one  Thomas  O'Connell,  and  he  spoke  to  yon 
to-day,  and  we  believe  that  that  covers  all  that  we  have  to  say,  perhaps 
all  that  we  know  on  the  subject.  I  have  been  with  Mr.  O'Connell  as 
he  stated  for  the  last  three  years  and  know  something  of  the  conditions 


294  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

in  Chicago.  We  have  a  very  large  city  and  a  very  cosmopolitan  one, 
and  for  that  reason  a  question  of  the  minimum  wage  will  be  much  harder 
to  discuss  than  possibly  a  city  of  the  size  of  Bay  City  or  even  Del  roil. 
Mr.  Ryan  brought  out  some  points  that  I  had  in  mind,  and  one  of  wliidi 
was  the  question,  of  the  cost  of  living.  We  in  our  own  plant  sometime 
ago,  even  before  there  was  any  question  of  a  minimum  wage,  established 
a  minimum  wage  for  our  own  benefit.  We  pay  six  dollars  a  week  as  a. 
minimum  and  as  much  more  as  they  can  make.  WTe  feel  that  six  dol- 
lars is  possibly  as  little  as  any  girl  should  start  to  work  on.  We  also 
established  in  our  plant  sometime  ago  the  idea  of  not  employing  any- 
one under  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  majority  of  laundries  find  that  it 
does  not  pay  to  employ  anyone  at  that  age  for  the  reason  that  they 
haven't  the  work  to  give  them.  We  give  our  help  fifteen  minutes'  recess 
in  the  forenoon  and  fifteen  minutes  in  the  afternoon,  but  they  work 
only  nine  hours  and  a  half.  I  might  also  state  that  they  start  at  7:30 
in  the  morning.  If  we  can  educate  our  people  in  Chicago  to  send  us 
their  laundry  any  day  in  the  week,  give  us  three  days  to  finish  it,  we 
will  be  able  to  start  the  work  on  Monday  morning.  We  pay  our  help 
twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  amount  that  we  receive,  or  if  we  receive  forty 
cents  for  ironing  a  shirt-waist  the  employe  gets  ten  cents  and  in  that 
way  we  have  increased  the  wages  of  our  ironers  from  possibly  a  mini- 
mum of  eight  to  nine  dollars  to  twelve  and  thirteen  dollars.  Possibly 
with  the  same  result  eventually,  that  they  work  themselves  to  death.  In 
Chicago  we  have  had  a  rather  bad  experience,  and  as  a  whole  the  manu- 
facturers and  a  majority  of  the  employers  are  not  favorable  to  a  mini- 
mum wage.  Personally,  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  it  is  not  well,  and  if  it 
is  the  intention  of  the  State  Legislature  to  investigate  it,  it  certainly  is 
something  that  they  should  investigate. 

MR.  CHIDSEY:  Gentlemen  of  the  Commission,  I  am  going  to  take 
the  liberty  of  reading  a  letter  that  I  sent  to  the  Commission  when  you 
sent  out  the  reports  to  be  filled,  giving  an  idea  about  what  is  paid  to  the 
employe,  and  about  the  percentage  that  they  get: 

Feb.  26,  1914. 
Commission  of  Inquiry,  Lansing,  Mich. 

Gentlemen: — The  wage  for  165  female  employes  for  week  ending 
February  7th,  1914,  is  $1,242.69,  or  an  average  per  employe  of  $7.53 
plus.  The  female  employes  in  our  laundry  are  70  per  cent  of  the 
whole  number  employed. 

The  season  of  colder  months,  business  is  not  as  great  as  when 
warmer.  When  the  busy  season  is  on,  the  employe  will  receive  more 
wages,  on  account  of  the  demand  for  labor,  and  would  think  the  ad- 
vance will  average  about  IjO  per  cent. 

We  do  not  think  that  a  minimum  wage  for  laundry  employes  is 
fair  to  the  employe  or  employer.  It  will  give  preference  to  those  who 
can  qualify  as  experienced,  to  get  any  advance  that  'they  are  now 
receiving,  and  cutting  out  those  who  are  less  proficient.  The  em- 
ployer will  be  obliged  to  lose  on  an  employe  who  has  had  little  experi- 
ence during  probation  period,  and  should  then  not  qualify,  be  discon- 
tinued altogether.  Unless  there  be  a  recommendation  that  appren- 
tices should  receive  a  wage  of  $5  for  a  period  of  six  months. 

Will  state  that  in  our  experience  and  in  talking  with  other  em- 
ployers in  our  line  of  business,  that  the  wages  paid  to  employes  is 
50  per  cent  of  the  amount  of  gross  business. 

Thanking  you  for  the  opportunity  of  expression,  we  remain 

Yours  truly, 

BANNER  LAUNDERING  CO., 
Secretary. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  20f> 

ME.  CHIDSEY:  Now  this  meeting,  gentlemen,  is  to  be  an  open  meet- 
ing, a  discussion,  you  might  say  in  general,  and  there  may  be  some  one 
here  whom  I  might  not  think  to  call  upon,  but  it  is  your  liberty  to  »v( 
up  and  stale  what  you  want  to,  and  I  suggest  that  you  stand  where  you 
are,  because  it  migkt  embarrass  some  one  who  might  waul  lo  say  some- 
thing on  the  subject.  I  will  ask  Mr.  \Vilters,  of  Saginaw,  who  repre- 
sents one  of  the  laundries  of  the  State  of  Michigan,  of  his  experience  in 
Saginaw. 

HENRY  WITTERS,  of  Saginaw :  Mr.  President.  I  have  no  questions 
to  ask  the  Commission.  The  ground  was  gone  over  very  thoroughly  last 
night  in  Saginaw,  and  I  was  very  much  interested  with  a  talk  by 
Mr.  Tanner.  We  in  the  laundry  business  take  girls  from  the  home,  and 
at  the  same  time  this  girl  does  ordinary  work,  and  as  time  goes  on  she 
gets  more  proficient  and  we  pay  her  more.  A  minimum  wage  I  do  not 
think  would  help  the  conditions  of  the  poor  people  or  the  working  girl. 
She  cannot,  perhaps,  at  first  earn  a  living  wage,  but  -as  time  goes  on 
she  gets  proficient  and  does  earn  a  living  wage.  As  I  said  last  night, 
the  average  girl  that  works  in  a  laundry  does  not  work  there  as  a  pro- 
fession. She  works  there,  you  might  say,  to  fill  in  time.  The  working 
girl  is  looking  to  get  married,  she  is  only  in  the  laundry  a  few  years. 

MR.  WALKER,  of  the  Commission :  Isn't  there  any  other  alternative 
for  the  young  girl  or  the  young  woman  who  cannot  have  obtained  effi- 
ciency in  any  general  line  between  low  wages  and  idleness?  Isn't  there  a 
better  place  for  them,  for  instance,  in  school  or  in  the  home  ?  Have  we  got 
by  that  day  when  this  young  girl  cannot  be  kept  in  the  home,  learning 
the  duties  and  work  of  the  home,  and  in  the  school,  getting  the  educa- 
tion that  is  supposed  to  make  them  better  women  and  fit  them  for  life? 
I  am  not  denying  that  we  can  keep  them  there,  but  what  is  the  re- 
sult of  that;  is  it  because  we  do  employ  them  and  she  gets  that  wage; 
is  that  better  than  being  in  school,  or  would  she  go  out  on  the  street  in 
idleness? 

JOHN  J.  RYAN :  In  answer  to  that  question.  The  law  in  the  State 
of  Michigan  is  such  that  we  cannot  hire  girls  under  twenty-one  years 
of  age  and  put  them  on  a  machine.  We  have  had  the  misfortune  of  hav- 
ing two  very  serious  accidents,  and  the  only  accidents  that  we  have  had 
in  the  laundry.  Now  what  is  a  hazardous  machine?  If  the  compensa- 
tion people  are  not  going  to  tell  us  what  a  hazardous  machine  is  what  are 
we  going  to  do?  Now  the  question  is,  what  kind  of  a  machine  is  a 
hazardous  machine?  Any  machine  that  a  girl  can  be  hurt  on? 

MR.  POWERS,  of  Saginaw:  Our  experience  has  been  that  the  girls 
in  the  winter  would  lay  off  a  part  of  the  time.  The  girls  frequently 
ask  for  more  money,  not  because  they  need  the  money  to  live,  but  be- 
cause they  need  the  money  to  play. 

WM.  E.  FITCH,  of  LaSalle,  111.:  As  long  as  the  power  laundry  keeps 
up  its  proper  sanitation,  the  use  of  modern  methods  and  machinery, 
etc.,  there  will  be  great  difficulty  in  competing  with  Chinese  labor.  The 
Chinese  work  18  or  19  hours  a  day  while  we  work  8  or  9  hours.  They 
are  depriving  the  American  girl  of  work  because  one  Chinaman  can 
do  as  much  work  as  two  American  girls, ,  and  by  figures  being  coin- 
piled  it  is  estimated  that  about  100,000  American  girls  are  kept  from 
laundry  work  by  these  yellow  men. 


296  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

ME.  WALKER,  of  the  Commission:  Speaking  of  efficiency  and  the 
need  of  efficiency,  and  that  seems  to  be  the  general  need  of  the  hour,  is 
there  anything  more  in  your  judgment,  Mr.  Fitch,  that  the  State  can 
do  toward  increasing  that  efficiency? 

MR.  FITCH:  I  think  that  Mr.  O'ConnelFs  suggestion  is  along  the 
right  line,  and  I  think  that  the  State  ought  to  work  along  that  line. 

MR.  GRENELL,  of  the  Commission :  I  want  to  ask  one  question.  Is 
female  help  less  efficient  now  than  five  years  ago?  What  is  the  ex- 
perience of  laundrymen?  Take  a  factory  employing  one  hundred  per- 
sons. Do  these  one  hundred  persons  produce  less  than  they  did  five  or 
ten  years  ago? 

MR.  FITCH:  Comparatively  less  than  they  did  five  years  ago,  by  a 
long  way.  They  turn  out  less  work  now  than  they  did  five  years  ago. 
The  question  of  minimum  wages  will  come  back  to  the  question  of  effi- 
ciency. 


APPENDIX  F. 


ORGANIZED  LABOK  AND   THE  MINIMUM  WAGE. 

Not  only  did  the  Minimum  Wage  Commission  ask  employers  to  give 
their  opinion  of  the  advisability  of  a  minimum  wage  for  women,  but 
the  labor  organizations  of  the  State  were  appealed  to,  to  aid  in  solving 
the  problem.  The  following  letter  was  sent  to  several  hundred  unions, 
as  well  as  to  individuals  with  known  labor  sympathies: 

TO  ORGANIZED  LABOR  IN  MICHIGAN. 

The  Commission  of  Inquiry  into  the  advisability  of  establishing  a 
minimum  wage  for  Michigan's  wage  working  women  desires  to  ascer- 
tain the  opinion  of  organized  labor  on  the  proposition.  The  Commis- 
sion is  approaching  this  important  subject  open  minded,  and  wants 
all  the  information  possible  before  attempting  to  reach  a  conclusion. 

(1)  Is  there  danger  that  a  minimum  wage  will  become  a  maximum 
wage?  (2)  Are  employers  or  employes  best  able  to  decide  the  prob- 
lem? (3)  Will  a  minimum  wage  law  be  such  a  recognition  of  the 
present  wages  system  as  to  make  it  inadvisable?  (4)  Is  it  the  busi- 
ness of  the  State  to  step  in  and  protect  defenseless  women  from  ex- 
ploitation by  unscrupulous  employers?  (5)  Will  not  demand  and 
supply  be  a  better  regulator  than  can  legal  enactment?  (6)  What 
should  be  the  basis  for  a  minimum  wage?  (7)  Do  not  all  or  most 
trade  unions  enact  a  minimum  wage  scale?  (8)  Should  beginners 
come  in  under  any  state  regulation  of  wages?  (9)  Will  a  minimum 
wage  tend  to  weaken  or  strengthen  organized  labor?  (10)  What 
should  be  done  to  an  employer  who  persists  in  paying  less  than  a  fair 
minimum  wage?  (11)  What  should  be  done  to  an  employe  who  re- 
fuses to  use  due  diligence  in  her  work,  yet  demands  a  living  wage? 

These  and  a  score  of  other  questions  might  be  asked.  The  Commis- 
sion will  welcome  immediate  short  arguments  on  any  or  all  these 
points  from  organized  labor,  either  officially  or  individually.  It  is 
suggested  that  city  federations  as  well  as  individual  trade  and  labor 
unions  appoint  some  one  to  formulate  the  official  opinion  of  the 
body. 

By  order  of  the  Commission. 

Respectfully, 

LUELLA  M.  BURTON, 
Secretary  Commission  of  Inquiry. 

In  all,  seven  replies  came  to  hand.  The  Detroit  Federation  of  Labor's 
reply  was  headed:  "Minimum  Wage  Has  Its  Dangers."  But  accom- 
panying this  was  a  demand,  on  the  part  of  the  Federation,  that  the 
electors  of  Detroit  establish  a  minimum  wage  for  city  employes.  This 
read: 

MINIMUM  WAGE — No  employe  in  the  classified  service,  doing  com- 
mon labor,  shall  receive  compensation  in  a  sum  less  than  two  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents  per  diem  for  an  eight-Hour  service  day.  No  em- 
ploye in  the  classified  service  doing  the  work  of  a  skilled  mechanic 


298  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

shall  receive  compensation  in  a  sum  less  than  the  highest  prevailing 
wage  in  that  particular  grade  of  work.  Whenever  practicable,  the  per 
diem  plan  of  employing  common  labor  shall  be  in  force.  All  wages 
and  all  salaries  in  the  classified  service  shall  be  paid  weekly.  Any 
employe  in  the  classified  service  who  shall  receive  compensation  for 
service  rendered  at  a  rate  less  than  the  minimum  fixed  herein,  may  by 
an  action  for  debt,  recover  from  the  city  the  balance  due  him  hereunder 
with  costs. 

In  this  case  the  minimum  wage"  is  a  living  wage — in  fact,  the  highest 
wage  paid  by  employers  to  unskilled  labor.  And  the  thought  occurs  that 
if  a  minimum  wage,  as  stated  by  the  committee  of  the  Federation  will 
have  a  tendency  to  weaken  organized  labor,  will  not  a  minimum  wage 
established  by  the  city  for  its  employes  have  the  same  effect?  However, 
the  general  tone  of  the  conclusions  of  the  Detroit  Federation  of  Labor 
is  admirable,  even  though  it  socialistically  advocates'the  use  of  the  police 
powers  of  the  State  in  collecting  from  offending  employers  in  the  mat- 
ter of  low  wages  "twice  or  more  times  the  amount  of  the  difference." 

The  report  of  the  Grand  Rapids  Trades  and  Labor  Council  is  also 
moderate  in  tone — a  thoughtful  attempt  to  aid  the  Commission  in  com- 
ing to  a  wise  conclusion.  One  paragraph  reads: 

We  would  therefore  recommend  the  creation  of  a  permanent  commis- 
sion to  investigate  conditions  and  wages  in  the  various  industries  and 
occupations  in  which  women  are  employed.  Whenever  one  was  found 
in  which  the  wage  paid  was  insufficient  for  proper  living,  it  should 
have  power  to  enforce  the  payment  of  a  sufficient  amount. 

Organized  labor  in  Grand  Rapids  does  not  fear  a  minimum  wage  will 
do  any  permanent  injury  to  the  growth  of  organized  labor  unions.  "While 
a  general  minimum  wage  law  might  be  a  detriment,"  the  report  says,  "it 
is  not  believed  permanent  injury  will  result  from  a  law  limited  in  its 
application  to  those  industries  which  are  underpaid." 

The  replies  of  the  Trades  and  Labor  Council  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  and 
of  the  Trades  and  Labor  Council  of  Escanaba  are  also  given  herewith. 
In  botk  instances  the  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  for  women  is 
urged  "Division  No.  343,"  of  Kalamazoo,  says  that  legislative  enactment 
of  a  minimum  wage  law  is  no  such  recognition  of  the  minimum  wage 
problem  as  to  make  it  inadvisable.  And  it  also  believes  it  will  strengthen, 
instead  of  weaken,  organized  labor. 

It  is  regretted  that  a  larger  number  of  the  labor  organizations  of 
Michigan  did  not  send  in  replies  to  the  Commission's  circular  letter ;  but 
perhaps  sufficient  is  given  to  show  the  prevailing  opinion  of  organized 
labor  toward  the  minimum  wage  proposition. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  299 


FROM  THE  DETROIT  FEDERATION  OF  LABOR. 

To  the  Michigan  State  Minimum  Wage  Commission: 

We  would  recommend  upon  the  letter  of  the  Commission  of  Inquiry 
rol alive  to  the  advisability  of  establishing  a  minimum  wage,  that  it  be 
presented  as  the  opinion  of  the  Detroit  Federation  of  Labor  that  a 
grave  danger  in  legislating  a  minimum  wage  lies  in  the  probability  of  its 
being  accepted  as  a  fixed  prevailing  rate  and  because  it  may  become  also 
a  maximum  wage.  If  a  minimum  wage  law  should  be  enacted  the  rate 
should  be  fixed  reasonably  high. 

Second,  employes  and  employers  are  able  to  fix  a  reasonable  wage, 
reasonable  in  the  social  order  of  things,  only  when  they  are  able  to 
meet  on  a  common  plane.  A  law  protecting  the  right  of  labor  to  or- 
ganize would  affect  such  a  condition  and,  in  the  opinion  of  labor,  would 
be  more  effective  for  the  purpose  of  the  Commission  than  a  minimum 
wage.  Such  right  could  further  be  supported  by  a  companion  law  pro- 
tecting labor  against  the  importation  of  strike  breakers  or  laborers,  the 
purpose  of  the  importation  of  whom  is  clearly  to  control  wages.  Without, 
organization,  neither  party  is  competent  to  deal  with  the  question. 

Decidedly,  a  minimum  w^age  law  would  be  a  full  recognition  of  the 
present  wage  system  and  would  be  accompanied  with  any  hurtful  influ- 
ence incident  thereto.  However,  that  may  not  be  a  reasonable  objection 
to  such  a  law,  as,  under  the  present  system,  the  wage  system  is  a 
factor  not  to  be  denied. 

It  should  be  the  business  of  the  State  to  prohibit  the  exploitation  of 
women  and  children.  Such  exploitation,  it  appears  to  us,  can  be  pro- 
hibited by  consistent  state  police  law,  protecting  labor  in  its  rights  to 
organization.  An  appropriate  taxation  law  would  be  helpful. 

In  our  opinion,  there  is  positively  no  such  thing  as  regulation  by  de- 
mand and  supply.  There  is  always  demand  and  there  is  always  supply 
or  the  source  of  supply. 

Trade  unions  enact  their  own  minimum  wage  scale.  It  is  one  of  the 
purposes  of  the  trade  union. 

In  the  event  that  beginners  should  not  come  under  any  law  enacted, 
employers  would  take  advantage  of  such  exemptions. 

A  minimum  wage  law,  in  our  opinion,  would  have  a  tendency  to 
weaken  organized  labor. 

When  an  employer  persists  in  paying  less  than  a  fair  minimum  wage, 
there  should  be  a  State  police  law  to  enforce  the  collection  of  a  deferen- 
tial tax  twice  or  more  times  the  amount  of  the  difference. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  employe  who  refuses  to  use  due  diligence 

her  work,  being  in  a  position  to  enforce  a  demand  for  a  living  wage. 

May  we  beg  of  your  Commission  to  use  due  diligence  in  the  promotion 
legislation  that  will  protect  wage-earners  in  their  right  to  organize 

d  protect  them  against  the  importation  of  strike  breakers,  gunmen  and 

ivate  detectives,  and  to  prohibit  the  employment  of  espionage  unknown 


300  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

to  workers,  and  to  protect  employers  from  black-list.    Such  laws  should 
support  any  minimum  wage  purpose  of  your  Commission. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

JOHN  CLARKIN, 

Chairman. 

HENRY  KUMMERFELD, 
JAMES  J.  SPILLANE, 
R.  L.  REEVES, 

Secretary, 
Legislative  Committee. 


FROM  THE  GRAND  RAPIDS  TRADES  AND  LABOR  COUNCIL. 

To  the  Michigan  State  Commission  of  Inquiry  Into  Wages  and  Condi- 
tions of  Labor  for  Women,  Lansing,  Michigan: 

Gentlemen :  In  answer  to  your  communication  requesting  the  opinion 
of  the  Grand  Rapids  Trades  and  Labor  Council  relative  to  the  establish- 
ing of  a  minimum  wage  for  women,  we  respectfully  submit  the  follow- 
ing: 

There  is  some  danger  that  a  minimum  wage  will  become  the  maxi- 
mum wage  if  a  laAV  should  be  enacted  which  would  be  of  general  appli- 
cation. 

Some  employers  would  probably  seize  upon  it  as  an  excuse  for  lower- 
ing the  wages  of  those  receiving  over  the  nlinimum  on  the  plea  that  they 
cannot  afford  to  pay  over  the  minimum  provided  by  law. 

Also  the  creating  of  a  minimum  wage  should  not  be  done  by  direct 
legislation,  because  if  a  certain  amount  was  named  which  would  apply  to 
all  industries,  there  would  be  a  great  danger  that  such  would  soon  become 
the  maximum,  and  for  the  further  reason  that  the  cost  of  living  de- 
pends to  some  extent  upon  local  conditions.  Also,  the  conditions  sur- 
rounding some  occupations  require  a  greater  expenditure  on  the  part 
of  the  worker  for  clothing,  etc.,  than  it  does  in  others. 

That  something  should  be  done  to  prevent  the  exploitation  of  women 
by  unscrupulous  employers  is  self-evident,  as  witness  the  fact  that  some 
have  accepted  the  opportunity  given  by  the  creation  of  the  9-hour  law 
to  cause  a  reduction  in  the  wages  of  women  by  retaining  the  same  wages 
per  hour  as  were  in  effect  prior  to  the  enactment  of  that  law. 

Supply  and  demand  would  perhaps  be  a  better  regulator  if  it  could  be 
assured  that  all  would  receive  a  living  wage,  but,  unfortunately,  when 
the  supply  exceeds  the  demand  there  are  always  those  who  will  work 
a  little  less  in  order  to  exist,  and  we  find  numerous  employers  who  are 
ever  ready  to  take  advantage  of  this. 

It  tends  to  bring  down  wages  to  a  point  where  it  is  barely  suiHicient 
for  a  mere  existence,  and  becomes  a  menace  to  proper  social  condi- 
tions, and  it  would  seem  to  be  the  duty  of  the  State  to  provide  a  remedy, 
if  one  can  be  found,  which  can  be  applied  without  doing  an  injustice  to 
either  party. 

Labor  organizations,  as  a  rule,  establish  a  minimum  wage,  but  this 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  301 

does  not  prevent  the  more  expert  from  receiving  greater  compensation, 
nil  hough  this  increase  is  rather  the  exception  than  the  rule,  and  the 
minimum  becomes  also  the  maximum  for  the  great  majority. 

However,  this  minimum  is  subject  to  adjustment  from  time  to  time 
to  meet  changed  conditions,  and  no  law  should  be  enacted  which  would 
not  permit  of  ready  adjustment. 

This  may  demonstrate  the  danger  there  is  of  the  minimum  wage  be- 
coming the  maximum,  but  the  fact  that  many  women  are  receiving  less 
than  a  living  wage  should  be  taken  into  consideration  and  a  remedy  pro- 
vided, either  through  legislation  or  education.  The  pressing  need  for 
a  remedy  would,  however,  preclude  the  slow  process  of  education  and 
cause  us  to  turn  to  legislation  to  gain  the  desired  end. 

We  would,  therefore,  recommend  the  creation  of  a  permanent  commis- 
sion to  investigate  conditions  and  wages  in  the  various  industries  and 
occupations  in  which  women  are  employed.  Whenever  one  was  found 
in  which  the  wage  paid  was  insufficient  for  proper  living,  it  should  have 
power  to  enforce  the  payment  of  a  sufficient  amount.  The  Commission 
should  have  power  to  call  for  a  committee  of  employers  and  employes,  and 
if  these  can  agree  on  a  wage,  it  should  have  power  to  enforce  the  same, 
if  in  the  opinion  of  the  Commission  such  a  wage  will  permit  of  proper 
living  conditions.  The  decision  of  the  Commission  should  not  be  subject 
to  review  by  the  courts,  and  should  remain  binding  until  changed  by  the 
Commission  upon  a  proper  showing. 

The  Commission  should  not  have  power  to  lower  any  wage  already  paid, 
but  should  have  power  only  to  change  where  a  Avage  has  been  established 
by  its  decision. 

Provision  should  be  made  that  no  wage  approved  by  the  Commrs- 
sion  can  be  lowered  by  the  imposition  of  fines,  as  is  at  present  the  prac- 
tice in  some  places. 

If  possible,  the  payment  of  the  same  wage  to  women  as  men  for 
equal  work  should  be  required,  in  order  that  men  may  not  be  displaced 
by  women  through  a  willingness  to  work  for  less. 

Where  organizations  of  skilled  trades  exist,  the  question  of  wages 
should 'be  left  to  employer  and  employes  by  collective  bargaining,  for 
while  a  minimum  wage  may  prove  of  benefit  to  the  unregulated  trades, 
the  conception  of  a  living  wage  formed  by  the  skilled  worker  may  not 
conform  to  what  might  be  agreeable  to  the  unskilled. 

The  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  will  tend  to  eliminate  the 
unfit  and  Avill  prove  a  stimulus  to  those  who  through  indifference  fail 
to  give  a  fair  return  for  the  wages  paid,  for  only  those  who  are  able 
to  give  an  adequate  return  will  receive  employment. 

The  elimination  of  those  physically  unfit  may  prove  a  hardship  to 
some.  There  are  employers  in  industries  where  such  are  able  to 
work  who  take  advantage  of  this  fact  to  keep  wages  down  for  the 
physically  fit  to  the  same  standard  as  that  received  by  the  cripple.  How- 
ever, provision  might  be  made  permitting  those  physically  unfit  to  work 
for  less  in  order  to  assist  in  their  maintenance,  but  this  should  be  sur- 
rounded by  stringent  safeguards  and  only  permitted  where  a  consider- 
able difference  existed  in  the  amount  of  work  performed,  and  which 
would  prevent  the  exploitation  of  opportunities. 

Where  a  minimum  wage  has  been  established  in  an  industry,  regu- 


302  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION   OF  INQUIRY  ON 

lations  should  be  made  for  the  wages  of  beginners  or  apprentices,  and 
care  should  be  taken  that  the  amount  and  increases  at  stated  times 
should  be  such  as  to  assure  to  the  apprentice  every  opportunity  to  be- 
come proficient  and  entitled  to  the  full  minimum  wage  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment. 

While  a  general  minimum  wage  law  might  be  a  detriment  to  the 
growth  of  labor  organizations,  it  is  not  believed  permanent  injury  will 
result  from  a  law  limited  in  its  application  to  those  industries  which  are 
underpaid. 

It  is  not  believed  that  the  establishment  of  a  minimum  wage  for 
women  will  be  such  a  recognition  of  the  present  wages  system  as  to  make 
it  inadvisable,  for  the  basis  of  a  minimum  wage  should  be  governed 
by  local  conditions  and  the  amount  that  industry  will  bear  after  allow- 
ing for  a  reasonable  profit  to  the  employer,  but  such  a  wage  should  never 
be  placed  below  what  is  necessary  for  proper  living.  An  industry  which, 
after  a  fair  trial  does  not  yield  sufficient  revenue  to  pay  a  living  wage 
should  not  be  tolerated  as  it  places  an  added  burden  upon  others  to 
make  up  this  deficiency,  or  where  the  difference  is  not  made  up,  society 
pays  through  loss  of  health  and  strength  to  the  individual  by  being  im- 
properly nourished,  and  causing  discontent,  and  unfitting  women  for 
the  duties  of  motherhood. 

The  employer  who  persists  in  paying  less  than  a  living  wage  when 
the  profits  of  his  business  will  permit  of  so  doing,  should  receive  the 
severest  condemnation,  as  he  places  a  share  of  his  just  burden  on  so- 
ciety and  pockets  the  difference.  If  he  should  prove  unwilling  to  remedy 
conditions  after  proper  representations,  he  should  be  forced  to  either 
close  out  his  business  to  one  who  will  pay  a  fair  wage  or  it  should  .be 
confiscated. 

Respectfully, 

GRAND  RAPIDS  TRADES  AND  LABOR  COUNCIL, 

By  A.  T.  Kilbourne,  Secretary. 


FROM  THE  ESCANABA  TRADES  AND  LABOR  COUNCIL. 

To  the  Michigan  State  Minimum  Wage  Commission  of  Inquiry: 

Your  communication  relative  to  the  minimum  wage  for  women  has 
been  considered  by  the  Trades  and  Labor  Council  of  Escanaba  and  the 
sentiment  of  this  body  has  been  clearly  expressed  in  favor  of  the  es- 
tablishing of  a  minimum  wage  for  women. 

The  reasons  advanced  by  our  members  for  this  belief  are  as  follows: 

1.  The  great  body  of  women    workers    do    not  belong  to  organized 
unions  and  have  not  the  protection   that   is   afforded   by  the  minimum 
wage  scales  set  by  the  unions. 

2.  The  establishing  of  a  minimum  wage  would  benefit  that  class  of 
women  workers  who  need  protection  most;  those  without  the  ability  to 
hold  positions  as  teachers  or  bookkeepers,  and  who  must  depend  for  their 
living  upon  manual  labor,  and  whose  lack  of  ability  forces  them  to  take 
positions  that  are  offered  and  at  the  wage  offered.     For  this  class  of 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  :;<>:; 

labor  there  seems  to  be  no  hope  of  a  living  wage  unless  strongly  organ- 
ized or  unless  the  State  establishes  a  minimum  wage. 

.'».  The  payment  of  a  living  wage  to  women  would  relieve  much  pov- 
erty among  them,  and  prevent  much  of  the  evil  that  some  of  them  are 
forced  to  resort  to  because  of  poverty. 

Very  truly  yours, 
TRADES  AND  LABOR  COUNCIL, 

Escanaba,  Michigan. 
By  G.  F.  McEWEN, 
LOUIS  FOLLO, 
F.  JOERGENSEN, 

Committee. 


FROM  THE  SAULT  STE.  MARIE  TRADES  AND  LABOR  COUNCIL. 

Mlcli'ujnn  tftatc  Minimum  Wage  Commission  of  Inquiry: 

Your  letter  of  inquiry  as  to  the  minimum  wage  question  was  duly 
received,  and  in  reply  would  say  that  the  question  is  a  vital  one,  and  a 
good  deal  of  common  horse  sense  is  required  to  come  to  a  proper  solu- 
tion. There  is  no  question  but  that  a  minimum  wage  law  is  absolutely 
essential  for  the  moral  protection  and  uplift  of  our  working  girls,  and 
our  next  representative  will  certainly  be  instructed  to  use  his  influence 
to  pass  a  law  to  that  effect. 

I  have  consulted  all  of  our  leading  union  men  in  our  city  and  the  gen- 
eral opinion  is  as  follows: 

Answer  to  question  No.  1:  In  some  instances  they  may,  but  pro- 
ficiency will  compel  advanced  wages  over  the  minimum  wage  unless  the 
employers  combined  and  agree  on  a  wage. 

2.     They  have  been  trying  for  years,  and  haven't  succeeded  as  yet. 

:!.  There  does  not  seem  to  be  any  system.  It  is  simply  get  help  as 
cheap  as  possible.  So  I  can  not  see  why  the  law  could  possibly  make 
conditions  anything  but  better. 

4.  By  all  means,  yes. 

5.  If  the  supply  of  employes  were  scarce  it  possibly  would,  but  with 
the  constant  influx  of  immigrants  the  supply  of  labor  is  in  excess  of  the 
demand.     The  result  is  that  the  immigrant  must  work  and  he  will  cut 
wages  to  get  employment.  The  result  is  that  a  reduction  of  wages  makes 
our  American  girl's  standard  of  living  such  that  she  must  sell  her  very 
virtue  in  order  to  live.    A  close  inspection  will  convince  anyone  wishing 
to  investigate  that  the  unreasonably  low  wages  of  our  girls  is  that  which 
makes  our  country  what  it  is  fast  approaching  to-day;  a  country  of  im- 
morality.   This  is  a  hard  assertion  to  make,  but  come  in  contact  with  the 
working  people  as  I  have,  as  an  A.  F.  of  L.  organizer,  and  the  conditions 
make  you  think  some. 

6.  Every  union  that  I  know  of  has  a  minimum  wage  scale. 

7.  That  would  depend  upon  the  class  of  employment.     Some  employ- 
ment requires  but  a  few  hours  in  which   to   become    proficient;  others 
days,  weeks,  and  two  to  three  years.     The  Commission  will,  however 
have  to  separate  the  various  vocations. 


304  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

8.  Strengthen  organized  labor.    If  the  unorganized  get  fair  wages  it 
will  help  organized  labor  a  good  deal.  There  is  a  vast  difference  of  opinion 
on  this  question,  but  rny  contention  is  as  stated. 

9.  Make  a  legal  statute  imposing  a  penalty,  and  if  the  courts  do  not 
hold  it  unconstitutional  they  will    be    glad    to  pay  living  wages  if  the 
penalty  for  paying  low  Avages  is  heavy  enough. 

10.  That  is  the  easiest  question  of  them  all.     Just  discharge  them 
and  put  in  new  help  who  will  use  due  diligence.    You  could  not  expect 
an  employer  to  keep  help  that  is  of  no  value  to  him. 

Hoping  I  have  been  of  some  assistance,  I  am, 

Respectfully, 

JAMES  W.  TROYER, 

Organizer  A.  F.  of  L. 
President  Trades  and  Labor  Council. 


FROM  "DIVISION  NO.  343,"  KALAMAZOO. 

To  the  State  Minimum  Wage  Commission: 

1.  Don't  think  so. 

2.  Employes. 

3.  No. 

4.  Yes. 

5.  Yes. 

C.  Supply  and  demand. 

7.  Yes. 

8.  Yes. 

9.  Strengthen. 

10.  Give  him  a  straight  prison  sentence.    No  fine. 

11.  Due  diligence  is  required  by  all  employers,  and  those  who  refuse 
ought  to  be  discharged  to  make  room  for  the  great  number  of  people  who 
will  work  with  diligence. 

F.  STERNE, 

Chairman  of  Division  No.  343. 
Committee  Division  No.  343: 

A.  R.  NEWKIRK, 

D.  A.   BOWMAN, 
W.  R.  JUDKIN, 

Recording  Secretary. 

E.  N.  MIDDLETON, 

President. 


APPENDIX  G. 


EMPLOYERS  AND  MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION. 

"Please  state  your  opinion  as  to  whether  a  minimum  wage  is  prac- 
ticable in  your  business,"  was  asked  by  the  Commission  of  some  1,750 
employers  of  women.  Most  of  those  who  answered  at  all  contented 
themselves  with  a  simple  negative  or  affirmative.  Others'  answers  run 
from  a  few  words  to  elaborate  essays.  Most  employers  are  either  di- 
rectly opposed  or  doubtful  of  its  utility.  Here  and  there  one  is  found 
who  has  already  established  a  minimum  wage  in  his  business,  regarding 
the  idea  as  feasible  for  all  industries  and  for  the  entire  State.  Others 
insist  that  if  a  minimum  wage  is  established,  it  should  be  a  National  law. 

In  addition  to  these  answers,  extracts  from  which  will  be  found  here- 
with, there  is  given  an  interview  with  W.  G.  and  H.  B.  Herpolsheinier, 
of  Grand  Rapids,  proprietors  of  a  large  mercantile  establishment  in  that 
city.  This  is  particularly  interesting  and  timely,  from  the  fact  that  the 
establishment  is  paying  a  commission  on  sales — the  "incentive"  system, 
it  is  called — in  addition  to  wages,  and  it  is  the  belief  of  the  Herpol- 
sheimers  that  it  has  in  a  great  measure  solved  the  problem  of  better 
contented  help. 

The  letters  and  interview  follow: 


A   MINIMUM    WAGE  ACCORDING   TO   AGE. 

THE  J.  L.  HUDSON  COMPANY,  DETROIT:  We  believe  that  a 
minimum  wage  for  women  is  practicable  in  our  business,  and  in  fact  we 
have  a  minimum  scale  of  wages  in  vogue  at  the  present  time,  this  scale 
being  based  upon  age  as  follows: 

1 — Minimum  for  girls  14  to  18  years,  $4  per  week. 
2 — Minimum  for  girls  18  to  21  years,  $6  per  week. 
3 — Minimum  for  women  21  years  and  over,  $8  per  week. 

Our  average  wage  in  each  group  however  is  much  higher  than  the 
minimum.  In  the  late  summer  of  1913  we  had  in  our  employ : 

107  girls  from  14  to  18  years  at  an  average  wage  of  $4.79  per  week. 

86  girls  from  18  to  21  years  at  an  average  wage  of    7.38  per  week. 

363  women   over    21    years   at   an   average   wage   of   10.65  per  week. 

This  latter  group  does  not  include  any  of  our  women  buyers  or  as- 
sistants at  salaries  above  $25.  Out  of  this  total  of  556  it  might  be  in- 

39 


306  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

teresting  for  you  to  know  that  308  lived  at  home  with  parents,  66  kept 
house  and  192  board  and  room. 

We  do  believe  that  a  minimum  wage  is  practicable  in  our  business, 
but  not  a  minimum  wage  law  based  on  a  single  minimum  wage  for  all 
female  help.  We  firmly  believe  that  only  minimum  based  upon  economic 
fairness  to  the  employer  and  to  the  employe  alike  is  one  with  an  age 
scale  attached.  It  is  obviously  unfair  to  make  a  minimum  wage  law 
for  all  female  help  of  say  $8,  because  this  would  at  once  bar  the  services 
of  all  girls  under  a  mature  age  who  are  incapable  of  producing  services 
equal  in  value  to  this  minimum,  and  thus  work  a  great  hardship  on  many 
families  where  one  or  more  of  the  wage-earners  are  in  this  class. 

The  minimum  wage  question  is  one  of  tremendous  importance,  not 
only  to  the  employer  and  employe,  but  also  to  the  community  at  large. 
Notwithstanding  all  popular  clamor  it  is  generally  true,  in  the  retail 
business  at  least,  that  the  employe  of  to-day  gets  what  he  or  she  is 
economically  wrorth,  and  just  as  true  that  the  employer  pays  no  more  than 
this.  Hence  it  logically  follows  that  a  minimum  wage  law,  if  above  the 
present  standard  of  wages  will  simply  cause  a  process  of  economic  selec- 
tion which  will  result  in  the  best  grade  of  labor  being  hired,  and  the 
unfit  rejected  to  be  taken  care  of  by  the  family  or  community.  Another 
consideration  is  the  influx  of  labor  from  states  where  such  laws  do  not 
exist.  In  our  opinion  the  minimum  wage  is  of  such  far-reaching  im- 
portance that  legislation  upon  the  subject  should  only  come  after  long 
and  careful  study  by  the  greatest  available  authorities. 

We  approve  of  the  investigation,  and  also  of  the  law  if  worked  out  on 
fair  and  economic  principles. 

COMPETITION,    EFFICIENCY    AND    APPRENTICESHIP. 

PRINCESS  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  Detroit:  We  know 
of  no  industry  on  as  close  a -competitive  basis  as  the  women's  and  chil- 
dren's wear  business,  and  any  added  burden  of  wages  placed  upon  this 
industry  in  the  State  of  Michigan  will  have  a  serious  effect  upon  our 
ability  to  manufacture  and  market  our  product  on  a  basis  that  will 
enable  us  to  compete  with  similar  goods  manufactured  in  other  states 
which  do  not  have  a  minimum  wage  law,  or  which  have  a  minimum  wage 
law  lower  than  any  that  might  be  in  effect  in  the  State  of  Michigan. 

Second — If  a  minimum  wage  law  was  put  into  effect  we  would  feel 
compelled  to  establish  in  our  factory  a  standard  of  efficiency  or  produc- 
tion, which  would  unquestionably  operate  against  the  slow  or  inefficient 
worker  and  result  in  many  girls  being  shut  out  of  employment  due  to 
their  inability  to  reach  the  specified  standard.  In  other  words,  we 
would  be  obliged  to  disregard  the  personal  element,  and  could  not  afford 
to  be  paying  a  slow  worker  even  if  her  work  was  done  well,  because 
of  the  necessity  of  receiving  from  each  worker  an  output  that  would 
balance  with  the  wages  paid. 

Third — Unless  some  provision  was  made  for  the  apprenticeship  an 
injustice  would  be  done  to  the  employer  as  the  incentive  for  girls  to 
learn  work  and  become  proficient  as  rapidly  as  possible  would  be  greatly 
lessened. 

A.  E.  ROBERTSON  COMPANY,  Saginaw:  We  do  not  think  this 
law  would  be  a  practical  one  on  account  of  women  not  being  endowed 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  307 

ith  equal  ability.     The  world  owes  a  living  to  only  him  or  her  who 
earns  it,  and  gives  it  only  for  "value  received." 

A  GROSS  INJUSTICE. 

STRENG  &  ZINN  COMPANY,  Kalamazoo:  I  consider  a  minimum 
wage  a  gross  injustice  to  the  woman  whose  ability  enables  her  to  pro- 
duce only  three  or  four  dollars,  as  it  effectually  bars  her  from  getting 
a  position. 

GOOD  FOR  BUSINESS,  IP  NATIONAL. 

THE  PRINCESS  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  Flint:  A  mini- 
mum wage  law  we  believe  would  be  good  for  our  business,  if  applied 
to  all  people  in  the  business.  We,  for  instance,  have  no  competitors  do- 
ing business  in  Michigan.  Our  competitors  are  principally  in  New 
York  City,  Philadelphia  and  Cleveland.  A  law  compelling  us  to  pay  more 
in  wages  than  our  competitors  would  put  us  to  a  serious  disadvantage. 
We  therefore  firmly  believe  such  a  law  should  be  National  in  its  scope. 
Such  a  law  should  be  based  on  a  definite  number  of  hours  per  week.  We 
have  a  number  of  women  working  for  us  who  cannot,  owing  to  domestic 
duties,  put  in  full  time  per  week.  A  law  compelling  us  to  pay  all  girls  a 
minimum  amount  per  week  irrespective  of  the  number  of  hours  work 
done,  would  mean  dismissal  for  these  girls. 

SCHOOLS  OP   SALESMANSHIP   COME  FIRST. 

THE  M.  W.  TANNER  COMPANY,  Saginaw:  We  believe  that  the 
minimum  wage  for  department  stores,  without  first  providing  schools  of 
salesmanship,  either  as  a  department  in  the  high  school  or  otherwise, 
would  work  great  harm  to  those  young  women  who  now  begin  their 
business  careers  to  assist  in  the  family  expenses,  with  the  stores  that  pay 
from  $3  to  $5  per  week.  Girls  with  ability  will  advance  from 
such  stores  to  those  that  require  higher  efficiency  and  that  pay  in  propor- 
tion for  such  service.  If  a  minimum  wage  law  is  passed  it  should  pro- 
vide for  beginners  a  minimum  wage  of  not  less  than  |G  per  week 
for  a  period  of  two  years,  thus  those  who  are  unable  to  afford  the  time 
and  expense  of  a  school  in  salesmanship,  could  obtain  experience  for  ad- 
vancement to  the  minimum  wage. 

NOT  FAIR. 

THE  GIFFORD-WEIFFENBACH  COMPANY,  Adrian:  We  do  not 
think  a  minimum  wage  fair  to  either  the  very  efficient  or  to  the  slow, 
conscientious  worker.  The  latter  would  suffer  seriously  if  they  could  not 
keep  to  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  standard  day's  work.  The  very 
efficient  would  suffer  by  being  restricted  to  the  standard  set  by  the  very 
slow  workers. 

WOULD  WORK  AN  INJUSTICE  TO  GIRLS. 

GRAND  RAPIDS  MALLEABLE  WORKS,  Grand  Rapids:  We  do  not 
think  that  the  minimum  wage  for  women  is  practical  in  our  business,  as 
in  our  own  employ  we  have  several  girls  working  for  us  who  might  not 


308  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

be  capable  of  earning  the  minimum  wage  set  by  the  Commission.  Of 
course,  at  this  time,  we  do  not  know  what  the  minimum  wage  is  to  be, 
but  we  feel  it  would  be  working  an  injustice  to  these  girls  to  discharge 
them  on  account  of  their  not  being  able  to  earn  the  minimum  wage. 
We  also  would  feel  that  as  soon  as  we  found  out  that  a  girl  was  not 
capable  of  earning  the  minimum  wage  set,  that  it  was  our  privilege 
to  discharge  her  from  our  services. 

As  an  illustration:    Should  the  minimum  wage  set  by  the  Commis- 
sion be  fS  per  week,  AVC  have  girls  in  our  employ,  and  living  in  our 
neighborhood,  who  would  much  rather  take  |7  per  week  from  us  and 
'  have  steady  employment  and  be  able  to   go   home   at  noon,  save  car 
fare,  etc.,  and  take  $1  per  week  less. 

PLACES    PREMIUM     ON    INCOMPETENCY. 

THE  HENDERSON-AMES  COMPANY,  Kalamazoo:  The  principle 
of  a  minimum  wage  as  applied  to  our  business,  and  as  we  see  it  as 
applied  to  most  lines  of  business,  places  a  premium  on  inefficiency  and 
incompetency.  We  do  not  think  the  theory  is  well-grounded  as  applied 
to  adult  workers,  because  where  the  system  of  piece-work  is  employed 
an  ample  wage  can  be  earned  if  the  worker  takes  reasonable  ad- 
vantage of  her  opportunity. 

NOT   PRACTICABLE   IN   ANY  BUSINESS. 

CHARLES  P.  LIMBEET  COMPANY,  Holland :  You  ask  our  opinion 
as  to  whether  a  minimum  wage  is  practical,  and  we  say  most  de- 
cidedly, NO,  and  we  cannot  see  how  it  can  be  practical  in  any  busi- 
ness. If  you  establish  a  minimum  wage  in  this  State  you  discriminate 
against  all  of  your  home  manufacturers  who  are  handicapped  in  com- 
petition with  manufacturers  of  other  states  in  similar  goods.  Further- 
more you  put  a  premium  on  inefficient  workers  and  you  will  practically 
bar  them  from  employment.  Manufacturers  would  be  looking  only 
for  help  that  was  worth  more  than  the  minimum  wage  amounted 
to.  You  might  think  this  would  make  a  dearth  of  help  and  force 
wages  up,  but  it  would  not.  If  it  had  that  tendency,  then  men  would 
be  employed. 

INADVISABLE. 

NATIONAL   ASSOCIATION   OF   GARMENT   MANUFACTURERS, 

Detroit:  With  reference  to  the  advisability  of  establishing  a  mini- 
mum wage  for  women,  the  matter  has  been  thoroughly  considered  at 
a  convention  of  the  above  association  held  in  Chicago  last  May  and 
it  was  the  consensus  of  opinion  that  it  was  inadvisable  and  imprac- 
tical, but  if  such  a  law  must  come  it  should  be  through  National  legis- 
lation. 

Personally  I  have  given  the  matter  of  fixing  a  minimum  wage  much 
thought.  I  regard  labor  a  commodity  and  is  subject  to  the  same  law 
of  supply  and  demand,  although  I  am  willing  to  consider  there  is  an 
element  of  sentiment  that  enters  into  the  transaction.  You  cannot 
legislate  sentiment  nor  value.  You  might  by  law  fix  the  price  of 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  309 

labor,  but  yon  cannot  compel  manufacturers  to  employ  labor  that  is 
unprofitable.  If  Ihe  minimum  fixed  by  law  were  too  high,  manufacturers 
could  not  develop  operators  as  we  do  at  present. 

In  my  experience  I  have  seen  women  who  could  not  earn  $2  the 
first  week  develop  in  a  short  time  so  as  to  be  able  to  earn  |15  and 
over  per  week. 

The  fixing  of  a  high  minimum  would  in  no  way  affect  the  effi- 
cient operator,  but  what  would  become  of  the  girl  who  is  indolent  and 
shiftless,  or  physically  handicapped?  I  believe  it  is  to  better  their 
condition  that  suggests  the  fixing  of  a  minimum  wage,  but  I  fear  it 
might  serve  to  deprive  them  of  employment  rather  than  benefit  them. 

Ability,  like  water,  finds  its  own  level  and  the  individual  generally 
obtains  her  level  of  compensation  commensurate  with  her  ability. 

The  condition  of  the  garment  industry  in  Detroit  is  peculiar  in  that 
we  cannot  obtain  sufficient  help  to  supply  the  demand  and  many  of 
the  manufacturers  are  obliged  to  open  branch  factories  in  other  cities. 

We  are  at  present  concerned  with  the  problem  how  to  increase  the 
efficiency  of  the  individual  operator,  thus  automatically  increasing  the 
earnings  of  the  operator  and  also  the  production  or  output. 

SUCH    A   LAW   IS   INEVITABLE. 

GAGE  PRINTING  COMPANY,  LIMITED,  Battle  Creek:  If  all 
employers  were  willing  to  deal  justly  by  their  employes,  there  would 
be  no  need  of  a  minimum  wage  law.  Inasmuch,  however,  as  many  em- 
ployers are  actuated  only  by  their  desire  for  personal  gain,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  such  a  law  as  this  must  inevitably  be  enacted.  Whether  a 
minimum  wage  law  would  eventually  lower  the  average  wages  paid  to 
women  employes,  is,  of  course,  a  debatable  point,  and  probably  can 
only  be  decided  in  the  light  of  experience. 

WILL    THROW    SOME    OUT    OF    EMPLOYMENT. 

F.  J.  KELLOGG  COMPANY,  Battle  Creek:  A  minimum  wage  law 
for  women  would  not  be  practicable  in  our  business.  Our  work  is  so 
much  different  in  each  department.  We  have  work  that  is  difficult  and 
complicating  and  requires  time  and  experience  for  a  girl  to  become 
proficient  in  that  particular  line  of  work.  Such  help  is  valuable  and 
deserves  high  wages.  Then  again  we  have  work  that  requires  little  or 
no  experience. 

We  have  several  girls  that  have  been  in  our  employ  for  a  num- 
ber of  years,  and  these  are  the  ones  that  are  receiving  the  highest 
wages.  We  also  have  a  few  that  are  not  capable  of  earning  more 
than  $G  per  week,  and  while  they  really  need  the  work  more  than  some 
of  those  that  are  receiving  higher  pay,  should  the  minimum  wage  be 
$7  or  |8  we  would  be  forced  to  let  them  go. 

1IKAKTILY  IN  SYMPATHY. 

CHEVROLET  MOTOR  COMPANY,  Flint:  We  believe  a  general 
minimum  wage  law  should  be  passed,  and  we  are  heartily  in  sympathy 
with  its  passage  if  it  is  started  with  a  fair  minimum,  even  though  we 


310  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

do  not  know  the  conditions  in  such  businesses  as  candy  factories, 
corset  factories,  telephone  exchanges  or  big  department  stores,  but  we 
are  inclined  to  think  that  their  employes  should  have  a  better  minimum 
wage  than  they  have  been  getting  in  the  interest  of  morality,  even  if 
the  public  has  to  pay  a  little  more  money  for  the  goods  which  it 
buys,  but  we  do  not  think  the  public  will  have  to  pay  more,  but  we 
believe  that  some  of  these  old  and  well-established  businesses  which 
pay  low  rates  to  women  employes  will  be  called  upon  eventually  to 
shrink  their  net  profits  to  "themselves. 

SHOULD    BE     ON     AN     HOUR    BASIS. 

BELDING  BROS.  &  CO.,  Belding:  We  have  established  a  mini- 
mum wage  of  $5  per  week  which  we  pay  to  beginners,  increasing  them 
by  two-week  periods  as  they  become  proficient^  until  they  become  piece- 
workers. We  have,  however,  some  workers  who  receive  less  than  $2.99 
per  week;  some  that  receive  from  $2.99  to  $3.99  per  week.  Of  course, 
this  is  under  the  |5  minimum  wage  for  fifty-four  hours  work.  The 
reason  that  they  receive  less  than  the  $5  per  week  was,  of  course,  that 
they  did  not  work  a  full  week. 

We  see  no  objection  to  a  minimum  wage  law,  and  in  all  probability 
one  will  be  enacted;  and  we  are  thoroughly  convinced  it  should  be 
on  an  hour  basis,  or  on  the  basis  of  a  full  week  of  fifty-four  hours. 

DETRIMENTAL    TO    THE    WOMEN. 

KALAMAZOO  LOOSE  LEAF  BINDER  COMPANY,  Kalamazoo:  In 
connection  writh  the  advisability  of  establishing  a  minimum  wage  for 
women,  that  while  the  motive  underlying  the  plan  may  be  very  com- 
mendable, the  ultimate  result,  to  my  mind,  cannot  be  anything  but  detri- 
mental to  the  women  of  the  State.  The  efficient  and  capable  woman  can 
command  and  invariably  is  obtaining  very  good  wages.  The  inefficient  and 
incapable  woman  cannot  command  wages  of  a  like  character,  and  it 
is  not  within  the  possibility  of  business  "to  fix  a  minimum  scale  or 
rate  of  wage  for  this  type  of  help.  The  result  of  legislation  will  nec- 
essarily work  a  hardship  on  this  class  of  female  help,  as  it  would  be 
better,  more  economical  and  a  more  sane  business  policy  to  employ 
men  at  a  higher  rate,  which  some  of  our  worthy  legislators  without 
any  knowledge  of  business  conditions  or  training  whatever  may  de- 
cide what  they  should  receive.  What  we  require  in  Michigan  is  not 
more  laws,  but  better  laws  based  upon  economic  conditions,  and  hav- 
ing in  mind  the  welfare  of  the  masses,  not  for  the  immediate,  but  for 
the  ultimate  time.  It  is  absolutely  an  impossibility  for  any  legislature 
to  enact  laws  that  will  govern  an  economic  condition  and  my  observa- 
tion would  lead  me  to  believe  that  every  manufacturer  is  desirous 
of  doing  all  that  he  can  for  his  employes,  and  it  is  just  as  necessary 
to  keep  the  wheels  of  industry  turning  as  it  is  to  pay  a  high  rate  of 
wages.  If  the  rate  of  wages  paid  to  women  in  this  State  prevents  com- 
petition in  the  field,  due  to  an  increased  cost  of  production,  it  would 
be  necessary  to  dispense  with  a  large  number  of  female  help,  and 
they  will  be  thrown  out  of  employment,  which,  to  my  mind,  is  in- 
finitely worse  than  to  work  for  the  wages  which  the  character  of  em- 


MINLMI'.M   WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  .311 

ploynu'iit  aiid  the  nature  of  the  business  would  enable  the  employer 
to  pay  for  their  services. 

MAKE    IT    APPLICABLE   TO    SWEAT    SHOPS    AND    PRISON    LABOR. 

LOWELL  MANUFACTURING  CO.,  Grand  Rapids:  We  do  not  be- 
lieve a  minimum  wage  law  would  be  practicable  in  our  line  of  business,  as 
it  would  be  a  detriment  to  the  employment  of  inexperienced  help,  and 
also  to  those  who,  though  experienced,  lack  the  ability  to  turn  out 
sufficient  work  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  minimum  wage  and 
who  will  necessarily  have  to  be  discharged  if  they  cannot  earn  it. 

If  it  could  be  made  a  National  law,  applicable  to  sweat  shops  and 
prison  contract  labor  throughout  the  country,  it  might  make  a  differ- 
ence in  the  price  of  labor  by  eliminating  that  low-priced  competition. 

WOULD    HANDICAP     MICHIGAN     MANUFACTURERS. 

MONROE  GLASS  CO.,  Monroe:  We  are  in  favor  of  the  highest  pos- 
sible wages  for  all  help  at  all  times,  but  a  minimum  wage  law  in 
Michigan  at  this  time,  high  enough  to  confer  any  benefit  on  women 
will  handicap  Michigan  manufacturers  as  against  their  competitors  in 
many  of  the  states  not  so  progressive  along  this  line.  In  our  particular 
case  we  have  to  compete  with  manufacturers  in  Pennsylvania  and 
West  Virginia  whose  progress  along  this  line  has  not  been  so  rapid 
as  Michigan.  Our  largest  competitors  are  in  Pennsylvania.  That  par- 
ticular state  is  many  years  behind  us,  much  to  the  advantage  of 
their  people  in  the  open  markets.  If  a  minimum  wage  law  would 
be  made  National  in  scope  and  the  increases  could  be  added  to  the 
selling  price,  we  would  have  no  objection  whatever. 

MORALLY    AND    LEGALLY    WRONG. 

VALLEY  SWEETS  COMPANY,  Saginaw:  We  do  not  believe  the 
State  has  a  right,  morally  or  legally,  to  compel  an  employer  to  pay  an 
employe  more  than  the  employe  earns.  Parents  are,  and  should  be,  re- 
sponsible for  the  support  and  maintenance  of  their  children.  If,  to 
assist  their  parents,  these  minors  and  dependents  become  employes, 
it  does  not  lessen  the  responsibility  of  the  parents  nor  obligate  the 
employer  to  make  a  donation  to  the  support  of  that  particular  family. 

EITHER   SUPERFLUOUS    OR    DETRIMENTAL. 

SAGINAW  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  Saginaw:  A  law 
fixing  a  minimum  wage  at  a  less  figure  than  the  lowest  wages  paid 
would  be  superfluous,  and  one  fixing  a  higher  minimum  would  be  at 
;ill  times  to  the  financial  disadvantage  of  the  employer,  and  much  of 
i  lie  time  would  be  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  the  employe. 

IN    FAVOR,    BUT    SEES    DIFFICULTIES. 

SHEFFIELD  CAR  COMPANY,  Three  Rivers :  As  to  a  question  of 
minimum  wage,  I  have  always  been  in  favor  of  this,  but  there  are 
some  difficulties  in  the  way,  as  for  instance,  until  a  woman  becomes 


312  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

familiar  with  her  work,  she  cannot  earn  what  would  be  a  fair  mini- 
mum wage,  and  in  any  law  upon  this  subject,  some  leeway  or  time 
should  be  allowed  for  this  purpose.  This  is  more  in  some  cases  than 
in  others.  Usually  a  girl  will  become  familiar  with  the  work  in  the 
course  of  a  few  weeks,  so  that  she  can  earn  a  fair  wage  on  piece-work 
price. 

NOT    A    GOOD    THING. 

BUTCHER  FOLDING  CRATE  COMPANY,  Vassar:  Relative  to 
the  minimum  wage  law,  we  do  not  think  under  the  circumstances  it 
is  a  good  thing  for  the  State  to  set  a  minimum  wage.  Labor  is  a  com- 
modity that  enters  into  the  manufacture  of  goods  and  we  cannot  see 
the  advantage  to  the  employe  unless  the  State  is  in  position  to  guaran- 
tee the  employer  or  manufacturer  a  fixed  price  for  his  goods.  By  fix- 
ing the  minimum  wage  you  prohibit  the  employe  and  the  employer 
from  getting  together  for  their  mutual  benefit. 

WILL    FAVOR    THE    PROFICIENT. 

BANNER  LAUNDERING  COMPANY,  Detroit.  We  do  not  think  that 
a  minimum  wage  for  laundry  employes  is  fair  to  the  employe  or  em- 
ployer. It  will  give  preference  to  those  who  can  qualify  as  experienced, 
to  get  any  advance  that  they  are  now  receiving,  and  cutting  out  those 
who  are  less  proficient.  The  employer  will  be  obliged  to  lose  on  an  em- 
ploye who  has  had  little  experience  during  probation  period,  and  should 
then  not  qualify,  be  discontinued  altogether.  Unless  there  be  a  recom- 
mendation that  apprentices  should  receive  a  wage  of  f 5  for  six  months. 

HAS   A    MINIMUM    WAGE    OF   FIVE   DOLLARS. 

THE  L.  H.  FIELD  COMPANY,  Jackson :  As  to  the  question  whether 
a  minimum  wage  for  women  is  practicable  in  our  business,  we  would 
say  that  entirely  depends  upon  the  amount  of  the  minimum  named. 

We  ourselves  have  established  a  minimum  wage  of  $5  per  week. 
In  doing  this  we  realize  that  we  take  several  girls  in  starting  to  our 
worth  quite  less  than  |5  a  week.  However,  it  makes  us  much  more 
keen  in  the  matter  of  selection,  and  we  decline  any  except  bright, 
attractive  and  promising  girls,  so  that  it  is  not  very  long  before  they 
become  worth  to  us  f5  a  week  or  more. 

Any  minimum  wage  above  |5  a  week  would  prevent  our  hiring  in- 
experienced girls,  and  oblige  us  to  engage  only  those  who  have  had 
previous  experience,  and  have  been  taught  something  of  the  art  of 
salesmanship  at  some  one  else's  expense. 

It  would  seem  to  us  that  a  minimum  wage  might  not  work  a  seri- 
ous hardship  on  the  employers,  but  it  would  have  disastrous  effects 
upon  a  large  number  of  girls,  whose  mental  equipment  is  not  such 
as  to  enable  them  to  earn  the  amount  named  as  a  minimum,  and  yet 
whose  services  would  be  of  some  value  were  they  permitted  to  sell 
their  services  for  that  value. 

As  far  as  the  employers  taking  advantage  of  the  absence  of  a  mini- 
mum wage  fixed  by  law,  we  think  that  the  natural  law  of  a  demand 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  313 

I'm-   efficient   help   will    have    a   tendency   to   continually    increase   the 
salaries  of  girls  working  for  commercial  establishments. 

THK    IIKKI'OLSIII-MMKU    SYSTKM    AS    S1IOWX    IX    AX    IXTKKYIKW. 

W.  (1.  Herpolsheimer,  of  Grand  Rapids,  explained  to  the  Commis- 
sion that  they  were  operating  their  large  establishment  under  the 
"incentive"  system,  started  by  him  22  }rears  ago.  He  said  he  got  the 
idea  in  Paris  at  that  time. 

To  illustrate  what  he  meant  by  the  "incentive"  system,  he  took  the 
cases  of  two  of  their  saleswomen,  whom  he  had  studied.  .  One  was 
phlegmatic.  She  could  not  sell  goods.  They  cut  her  wages  to  a  cer- 
tain sum  and  placed  her  on  a  commission  basis.  All  sales  which  she 
made  above  this  fixed  sum,  would  net  her  a  certain  percentage.  They 
at  the  same  time  took  one  of  their  best  saleswomen,  cut  down  her 
wage  to  a  certain  sum,  and  placed  her  also  on  a  commission  basis, 
i.  e.,  under  the  "incentive"  system.  As  a  result,  in  a  very  short  time  the 
clerks'  sales  had  increased  50  per  cent.  They  were  now  working  for 
themselves.  The  good  saleswoman  became  a  better  saleswoman;  so 
also  did  the  one  who  was  indifferent  under  the  old  wage  system. 

He  explained  that  they  pay  a  commission  on  all  sales,  whether  in- 
creased or  decreased,  depending  on  the  girl.  They  said  that  before 
adopting  this  system  it  was  difficult  to  run  their  business  on  a  paying 
basis.  The  firm  had  to  furnish  the  energy.  The  system  now  in  vogue 
makes  50  per  cent  better  clerks  and  keeps  them  more  alert.  Where 
under  the  old  system  a  clerk  only  received  |5  or  f  6  a  week,  under  the 
"incentive"  system  there  was  no  reason  why  she  should  not  make 
much  better  wages.  It  was  said  that  the  men  work  harder  under  the  com- 
mission basis.  They  wait  on  more  customers. 

MIi.  (JRKNELL:  Do  you  ever  find  clerks  where  the  commission 
basis  is  not  an  incentive? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  Yes,  some  clerks  do  not  respond;  others 
want  to  keep  with  the  more  ambitious  ones.  Some  clerks  do  not 
possess  "push."  If  clerks  cannot  succeed  under  this  system,  they 
never  will  under  any.  The  firm  lias  carried  on  a  much  bigger  busi- 
ness since  adopting  the  "incentive"  system.  Take  young  clerks,  for 
instance,  who  are  just  learning.  If  they  receive  a  commission  their 
sales  at  once  increase.  In  this  way  the  firm  knows  what  each  clerk 
is  worth.  It  makes  business  much  easier.  If  the  minimum  wage 
system  were  adopted  and  every  one  received  the  same  wage  whether 
nr  not  they  earned  it,  we  would  feel  like  going  out  of  business. 

MR.  WALKER:     How  do  you  fix  the  minimum  wage  paid  to  clerks? 

H.  P».  HERPOLSHEIMER:  Take  a  clerk,  for  instance,  applying  for  a 
position,  who  has  had  some  experience.  We  find  out  from  her  the 
amount  of  goods  she  has  sold,  and  we  ask  her  if  she  can  easily  keep 
up  to  that  amount.  We  then  ask  her  what  wages  she  wants.  We 
then  fix  her  salary  at  what  we  think  she  is  worth  to  us,  on  a  salary 
and  commission  basis.  \Ve  try  her  out  for  three  months.  If  she  falls 
down  in  amount  of  sales  within  that  time,  we  make  up  the  amount 
in  salary.  We  guarantee  her  a  certain  sum  while  on  probation;  if  she 
makes  over  that  amount,  it  is  her  "velvet." 


314  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

MR.  WALKER:  You  say,  then,  that  you  base  salary  on  amount  of 
goods  the  clerks  can  sell? 

H.  B.  HEBPOLSHEIMEB:     Yes,  that  is  the  idea. 

SIX    TO    EIGHTY    DOLLARS    A    MONTH    IN    COMMISSIONS. 

MR.  GRENELL:  What  is  the  highest  and  lowest  commission  you 
pay  on  the  dollar? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  The  commissions  earned  run  from  $6 
per  month  to  $80  per  month,  varying  with  the  months  and  the  seasons. 
Per  cents  vary  from  one-half  of  one  to  two  and  one-half  per  cent. 

MR.  BEADLE:     Does  not  that  system  make  more  bookkeeping? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER :  Yes,  but  we  are  glad  to  do  it.  To  illus- 
trate: We  had  a  certain  man  in  our  employ  for  15  years.  We  noticed 
that  he  was  getting  that  "tired  feeling."  He  became  a  "setter."  We 
called  him  to  the  office  and  told  him  we  were  going  to  put  him  on 
a  salary  and  commission  basis,  taking  the  smallest  year  in  sales  he 
had  made  on  which  to  base  his  wages,  and  that  we  intended  to  try 
him  out  under  that  system  for  three  years.  We  told  him  that  he 
should  be  able  to  sell  a  certain  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  goods  in 
that  time.  He  said  that  he  would  not  continue  with  the  firm  under 
those  conditions.  He  left  our  employ,  but  was  back  in  two  days  willing  to 
accept  our  terms. 

MR.  BEADLE:     How  did  he  do  the  first  year? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     First  year,  he  came  out  ahead. 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  If  the  minimum  wage  system  were 
adopted,  certain  persons  would  either  never  get  positions,  or  if  they 
did,  would  not  hold  them  long.  When  our  clerks  get  that  "tired  feeling" 
and  we  feel  that  we  are  paying  them  all  they  are  worth,  they  some- 
times leave  and  go  to  work  'for  others,  but  usually  return  and  ask  to  be 
taken  back. 

<  MR.  BEADLE :  How  do  you  find  the  permanency  of  your  employes 
to  be,  i.  e.,  the  number  of  years  they  now  remain  with  you  as  compared 
with  the  old  system? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  We  keep  them  as  long  under  this  sys- 
tem as  under  the  old  one.  Take  .the  head  of  a  department,  for  in- 
stance; under  this  system  if  the  stock  is  $15,000  and  he  reduces  it  to 
$10,000  in  a  certain  time,  he  gets  a  certain  "rake-off"  over  and  above 
his  regular  commission,  provided  it  does  not  hurt  the  profits. 

MR.  GRENELL:  It  then,  is  a  question  of  incentive  all  the  way 
through? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     Yes,  that  is  the  idea. 

MR.  BEADLE:  Don't  you  think  a  minimum  wage  possible  with  in- 
centive added,  if  the  minimum  wage  were  State  wide,  or  made  National? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER :     It  might  be. 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  We  find  that  the  girl  who  is  "adrift" 
as  a  usual  thing  is  the  girl  earning  the  highest  wage. 

MR.  GRENELL:  How  long  does  it  take  a  "green"  hand  to  reach  a 
certain  standard?  If  you  start  her  at  $4  would  she  be  able  to  come 
up  to  a  $6  standard  in  six  months? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  No;  not  as  a  usual  thing.  It  all  de- 
pends on  the  girl.  The  majority  do  not  move  ahead  as  fast  as  that. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  315 

The  greater  proportion  would  within  one  year.  We  now  have  a  girl 
in  our  employ  who  has  been  with  us  one  year  and  who  has  not 
made  good. 

MB:  AYALKKK:  Do  you  know  wlial  (hat  particular  girl  is  filial 
for? 

H.  15.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     Yes,  but  not  a  clerk. 

Mil.  WALKER:  How  do  you  keep  your  pay  roll,  i.  e.,  have  you  any 
uniformity?  Can  you  trace  a  girl's  work  through  the  year? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:    We  could  show  that  from  the  time-book 
svstem  and  our  commission  book.     We  pay  every  two  weeks. 
'  .Mil.  BEADLE:     How  long  did  it  take  to  make  out  this  employer's 
blank? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     I  should  think  it  took  about  five  hours. 

A   MINIMUM    WAGE    FOR   "GREEN"    GIRLS. 

MR,  WALKER:  Do  you  now  have  a  minimum  wage  system  in  your 
business? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     Yes,  to  some  extent. 

MR.  WALKER:  If  you  hire  a  "raw"  girl  who  never  sold  goods  be- 
fore, wiiat  do  you  do  then. 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:    The  best  we  can. 

MR.  GRENELL:  Do  you  give  all  "green"  girls  in  the  same  depart- 
ment the  same  wages  to  start  with? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  We  do  as  a  usual  thing.  It  depends 
somewhat  on  age.  We  hire  them  as  cheaply  as  possible. 

MR,  WALKER:  What  do  you  know  about  what  it  costs  a  girl  to 
live  in  Grand  Rapids,  to  dress  as  she  should,  and  to  provide  room,  board, 
etc.? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     I  have  no  idea. 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  She  couldn't  live  on  less  than  |G  per 
week. 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER :  Some  figure  closer  than  others.  I  do  not 
ili ink  they  should  have  less  than  |6  if  they  live  away  from  home. 

Mil.  WALKER:     There  are  some  places  paying  less,  are  there  not? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     I  do  not  know. 

MR,  WALKER:     Do  you  find  your  girls  clean  morally? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  Yes,  you  will  not  find  a  cleaner  lot  of 
girls  anywhere.  We  have  a  personal  talk  with  such  girls  as  we  have 
reason  to  believe  may  be  going  wrong. 

MR,  BEADLE :  Would  a  minimum  wage  inconvenience  you  if  your 
competitors  had  to  conform? 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     It  would  take  away  all  ambition. 

MR.  BEADLE :  How  would  the  minimum  wage  and  incentive  system 
work  together? 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:  Would  not  the  minimum  wage  discour- 
age those  who  are  slow,  as  they  would  be  rejected  by  merchants? 

MR,  BEADLE :  Do  you  think  industrial  training  should  be  taught  in 
the  public  schools? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     Yes,  that  would  be  a  good  idea. 

MR.  GRENELL:  Do  you  have  to  meet  competition  outside  of  Grand 
Rapids? 


316  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

W.  G.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     None. 

ME.  GRENELL:     Have  you  a  waiting  list? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     Yes. 

MR.  GRENELL:  A  large  number  of  employers  say  that  a  minimum 
wage  is  possible  and  some  say  that  they  now  have  such  a  system.  Others 
say  they  cannot  see  how  it  is  practicable  under  the  "piece"  system.  We 
find  some  employers  very  conscientious  with  their  employes.  If  they  do 
not  fit  in  one  department,  they  try  them  out  in  others,  until  they  find 
where  they  do  fit. 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER :  We  do  the  same  thing.  Often  poor  look- 
ing material  works  out  best  in  the  end. 

MR.  WALKER:     Do  you  have  a  savings  department? 

H.  B.  HERPOLSHEIMER:     No. 

SOME' OF  THE  EMPLOYERS  WHO  FAVOR  A  MINIMUM   WAGE. 

A  minimum  wage  law  is  entirely  possible  in  this  factory. — Supt.  Amer- 
ican Wire  Fabric  Co.,  Niles. 

Yes.  Prefer  it  if  skilled  and  unskilled  labor  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion.— Albert  B.  Scott  Laundry,  Hancock. 

I  believe  a  minimum  wage  of  f  6  will  benefit  all. — Manager  Union  Steel 
Co.,  Albion. 

Yes.  We  require  a  grade  of  help  that  would  command  good  pay  any- 
where. Their  cost  of  time  is  simply  added  to  the  cost  of  production. 
The  customer  can  and  is  willing  to  pay  for  same. — Treasurer  and  Man- 
ager, Gage  Printing  Co.,  Battle  Creek. 

Yes,  if  followed  by  the  entire  printing  trade. — Manager  Good  Health 
Publishing  Co.,  Battle  Creek. 

Yes. — Cheboygan  Paper  Co. 

We  see  no  objections.  Provisions  should  be  made  for  beginners. — 
Vice-president  Oval  Wood  Dish  Co.,  Traverse  City. 

Yes.     Heartily  in  favor  of  it. — Imperial  Automobile  Co.,  Jackson. 

Yes,  if  different  for  different  trades,  and  apprentices. — F.  F.  Ingram 
Co.,  Detroit. 

See  no  reason  why  not.  Should  serve  an  excellent  purpose. — R.  M. 
Kellogg  Co.,  Three  Rivers. 

Yes,  if  not  too  high. — Wright,  Kay  £  Co.,  Detroit. 

Believe  we  could  adjust  our  business  to  a  minimum  wage  in  a  very 
short  time. — Chas.  J.  Markham  Co.,  Houghton. 

Practical  with  us,  if  not  too  high. — Supt.  Stewart  Laundry  Co.,  Battle 
Creek. 

Yes.  If  high  enough  men  would  displace  women,  and  put  women 
where  they  belong,  at  home. — T.  Stroh  Brewery  Co.,  Detroit. 

Yes,  with  proper  provision  for  incompetent  girls. — Branch  Manufac- 
turing Co.,  Coldwater. 

Yes,  if  not  too  high. — Acme  White  Lead  £  Color  Works,  Detroit. 

Yes.  We  pay  more  than  the  law  would  ever  exact. — Sommers  Bros. 
Match  Co.,  Saginaw. 

Yes,  but  apprentices  should  be  considered. — Cadillac  Printing  Co., 
Detroit. 

Yes.  It  would  be  possible  to  figure  out  cost  of  manufacture  figuring 
on  minimum  for  girls. — Crown  Hat  Manufacturing  Co.,  Detroit. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


317 


Yes.  Would  be  productive  of  better  working  conditions  for  women. — 
Sulphite  Pulp  &  Paper  Co.,  Detroit. 

Yes.  At  present,  minimum  of  $6  for  girls. — Hargreaves  Manufacturing 

>.,  Detroit. 

Yes,  in  our  business  as  well  as  in  all  others. — Twist  Drill  and  Tool 
Co.,  Detroit. 

Yes.  It  would  give  girls  a  better  chance. — C.  L.  Pemberton  &  Sons, 
Durand. 

Yes.  Our  lowest  wage  is  $6  for  beginners. — Chicago  Hosiery  Co.,  De- 
troit. 


APPENDIX  H. 

WOMEN  AND  CHILD  WAGE-EAKNERS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES. 


(Condensation  of  an  Investigation  Conducted  by  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment.) 

By  the  Secretary. 

Interesting  facts  relating  to  "Women  and  Child  Wage-Earners  in  the 
United  States"  have  been  adduced  from  the  investigation  conducted  by 
the  Federal  Government,  under  Act  of  Congress  approved  January  29, 
1907,  which  provided  "That  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  of  Labor,  be,  and 
he  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  investigate  and  report  on  the 
industrial,  social,  moral,  educational,  and  physical  condition  of  women 
and  child  workers  in  the  United  States  wherever  employed,  with  special 
reference  to  their  age,  hours  of  labor,  term  of  employment,  health,  il- 
literacy, sanitary  and  other  conditions  surrounding  their  occupation, 
and  the  means  employed  for  the  protection  of  their  health,  person  and 
morals. 

Vol.  V  of  the  report  of  this  investigation  covers  the  study  of  women 
and  children  employed  in  department  and  other  retail  stores,  factories, 
mills,  etc.,  in  Boston,  Chicago,  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul,  New  York 
City,  Philadelphia  and  St.  Louis.  The  number  of  wage-earning  women 
visited  in  these  cities  for  the  purpose  of  study  were  8,475.  From  7,893 
of  them  detailed  information  was  secured. 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  and  per  cent  of  female  wage- 
earners  in  department  and  other  retail  stores,  factories,  mills,  etc.,  in  the 
seven  cities  specified,  who  were  found  to  be  living  at  home,  and  the  num- 
ber and  per  cent  who  were  without  homes  and  entirely  dependent  upon 
themselves,  together  with  number  interviewed  from  whom  information 
was  obtained  concerning  age,  experience,  and  earnings. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


319 


Table  No.  44.— NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  OF  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS  INTERVIEWED 
IN  SEVEN  LARGE  CITIES  WHO  WERE  FOUND  TO  BE  LIVING  AT  HOME  AND  NUMBER 
AND  PER  CENT  WHO  WERE  WITHOUT  HOMES  AND  ENTIRELY  DEPENDENT  UPON 
THEMSELVES  TOGETHER  WITH  NUMBER  INTERVIEWED  FROM  WHOM  INFORMA- 
TION WAS  OBTAINED  CONCERNING  AGE,  EXPERIENCE,  AND  EARNINGS. 


Place  of  employment  and 
living  conditions. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Age. 

Experience. 

• 
Earnings. 

Number 
reported. 

Average 
years. 

Number 
reported. 

Average 
years. 

Number 
reported. 

Average 
weekly. 

Department  and  other  retail 
stores: 
Women  at  home  
Women  adrift  

1,673 
486 

77.5 
22.5 

1,153 
431 

22.5 
28.1 

1,124 

284 

4.7 
6.7 

1,235 
421 

$6  88 
7  88 

Total      

2,159 

100.0 

1,584 

24.1 

1,408 

5.1 

1,656 

$7  13 

Factories,  mills,  etc.: 
Women  at  home  
Women  adrift  . 

4,135 
879 

82.5 
17.5 

3,089 
927 

21.1 
26.1 

2.736 
620 

3.9 

7.4 

3,338 
822 

$6  40 
6  78 

Total 

5,014 

100.0 

.     4,016 

22.2 

3,356 

4.5 

4,160 

$6  48 

According  to  the  foregoing  table,  1,673  or  77.5  per  cent  of  the  number 
<>l  women  interviewed,  who  were  employed  in  department  or  other  retail 
stores,  lived  at  home.  The  total  number  of  women  employed  in  depart- 
ment and  other  retail  stores  in  the  seven  cities  is  shown  to  be  108,616. 
It  is  pointed  out  that  in  considering  the  percentage  given  to  those  living 
at  home,  it  should  be  remembered  that  such  a  percentage,  while  ac- 
curate so  far  as  the  actual  number  of  women  visited  is  concerned,  can 
only  be  approximately  correct  when  applied  to  the  group  of  wage-earning 
women  employed  in  stores  as  a  whole. 

Six  dollars  and  eighty-eight  cents  proved  to  be  the  average  weekly 
earnings  for  all  the  department  and  other  retail  store  women  visited.  This 
also  took  into  account  losses  through  sickness,  and  "lay-offs"  as  well  as 
increases  through  commissions.  Of  these  women  wage-earners,  a  goodly 
number  were  employed  in  the  smaller  retail  dry-goods  stores,  some  in 
novelty  stores,  and  still  others  in  the  5  and  10  cent  stores. 

An  experience  of  from  four  to  five  years  seemed  to  have  been  the  rule 
among  those  earning  this  weekly  wage  of  $6.88,  and  their  average  age 
was  22.5  years.  Of  the  women  personally  interviewed  who  were  em- 
ployed in  stores,  486  or  22.5  per  cent  were  found  to  be  "adrift." 

For  the  purpose  of  the  study  of  ihe  self-supporting  women,  the  adrift 
women  were  arranged  in  four  groups:  (1)  Those  keeping  house;  (2) 
Those  living  in  private  families;  (3)  Those  living  in  boarding  or  lodg- 
ing houses;  and  (4)  Those  living  in  organized  boarding  houses. 

Under  the  classification  "organized  boarding  houses"  is  implied  such 
as  live  in  houses  financed  by  philanthropic  institutions,  so  managed  as 
to  give  the  woman  board  and  lodging  under  moral  and  sanitary  condi- 
tions at  a  nominal  «um.  Only  households  where  there  were  not  to  ex- 
ceed three  boarders  or  lodgers  were  classified  as  private  families. 

The  table  of  summaries  indicates  that  the  earnings  of  the  women  em- 
ployed in  departmental  and  other  retail  stores,  who  were  adrift,  was 


320  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

higher  than  for  those  who  live  at  home.   Against  the  $6.88  for  those  who 
live  at  home,  was  the  average  wage  of  $7.88  for  those  who  were  adrift. 

But  there  is  another  factor  which  enters  into  the  equation.  The  aver- 
age experience  for  women  adrift  was  6.7,  against  an  experience  of  4.7 
years  for  home  women;  likewise  there  was  a  higher  age  average  of  28.1 
years  for  adrift  women  against  22.5  years  for  home  women. 

One  of  the  distinct  hardships  that  was  uncovered  in  these  investiga- 
tions, it  was  found,  arose  from  the  fining  system  which  obtains  in  de- 
partmental stores.  These  penalties  are  levied  upon  girls  who  are  tardy; 
who  give  a  wrong  address ;  who  make  a  mistake  in  the  price  of  an  arti- 
cle, etc.,  each  mistake  involving  a  fine  of  a  fixed  amount.  This  system 
falls  heavily  upon  the  poorly-paid  workers.  The  girls  admitted  that  this 
•system  was  in  vogue,  but  they  were  reticent  about  acknowledging  they 
had  suffered  personally  therefrom.  At  a  certain  New  York  store,  where 
800  women  are  employed,  it  was  ascertained  that  $225  is  collected 
monthly  in  fines,  or  $2,700  a  year. 

In  many  stores,  such  moneys  collected  in  fines  were  turned 
over  to  the  benefit  association,  membership  in  which  was  usually  ob- 
ligatory. A  small  part  of  the  earnings  of  each  girl  was  retained  each 
pay-day  and  thereby  a  fund  was  created  by  the  establishment,  which 
may  be  drawn  upon  in  case  of  sickness  or  death.  The  dues  ranged  from 
10  cents  to  60  cents  per  month,  and  in  case  of  sickness  the  benefits  may 
amount  to  one-half  the  salary,  but  these  were  limited,  usually  to  $5; 
the  weekly  payments  may  run  from  six  weeks  if  necessary.  The  reten- 
tion of  the  dues,  when  they  are  compulsory,  has  often  been  the  subject 
of  complaint  from  the  workers,  particularly  because  the  benefits  are 
not  available  until  after  from  three  to  six  months'  employment  in  an 
establishment.  Many,  too,  had  not  steady  employment  in  one  establish- 
ment, and  to  them  the  system  proved  a  hardship. 

Departmental-store  officials  quite  openly  expressed  a  preference  for 
girls  living  at  home,  frankly  admitting  that  the  wages  offered  did  not 
permit  a  girl  to  live  honestly  elsewhere. 

This  stand  taken  by  the  employers,  in  many  instances  has  created 
a  tendency  among  the  girls  to  misrepresent  her  circumstances  to  the 
employer,  she  often  intimating  that  she  is  living  at  home  or  witli  rela- 
tives, when  in  reality  she  is  entirely  dependent  upon  her  own  resources. 
One  girl,  being  questioned  by  the  superintendent  of  a  big  establishment, 
and  refused  work  when  she  answered  "no"  to  the  query:  "Do  you  live 
at  home?"  hastened  to  state  that  she  lived  with  "a  married  sister,"  and 
was  given  employment.  The  girl  explained  that  she  had  no  married 
sister,  but  knew  the  "only  way  to  get  the  job"  was  to  make  the  super- 
intendent think  she  was  "practically  at  home." 

The  total  number  of  women  employed  in  factories,  mills,  etc.,  in  the 
seven  cities  visited,  was  given  as  294,506.  Data  secured  from  5,014  of 
these  women  workers  showed  the  proportion  living  at  home  to  be  82.5 
per  cent,  while  879  or  17.5  per  cent  were  adrift. 

It  will  be  observed  that  with  the  factory  women,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
store  women,  those  in  the  higher  age  group  received  the  higher  wages. 
The  store  employes  adrift  were  a  little  older  than  the  factory  employes 
of  the  same  class.  The  average  age  of  the  factory  employes  adrift  was 
26.1  years,  while  the  average  age  of  the  store  girl  adrift  was  28.1  years. 

The  average  years  of  experience  of  the  factory  employes  living  at  home 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


321 


was  ;$.!)  years,  while  that  of  the  factory  employes  adrift  was  7.4  years, 
from  which  it  might  be  implied  that  the  girl  worker  living  at  home  and 
not  entirely  dependent  upon  her  own  resources  was  more  inclined  to 
drift  from  one  class  of  employment  to  another. 

In  many  instances  it  was  found  that  the  earnings  of  certain  factory 
workers  more  than  sufficed  when  the  work  was  normal,  but  when  the 
busy  season  was  over  their  savings  quickly  melted.  In  many  cases  it 
was  found  that  the  girls  lived  with  families,  who  were  willing  to  trust 
them  for  board  until  their  work  started  anew,  but  this  implied  that  the 
next  busy  season  would  find  them  badly  in  debt.  The  seasonal  indus- 
tries, it  was  found,  worked  women  full  speed  during  the  campaign,  then 
turning  them  loose  for  the  remainder  of  the  year.  The  managers  real- 
ized fully  that  the  following  season  would  find  the  same  girls  available 
for  work.  Thirty-five  per  cent  of  the  factory  workers  reported  having 
done  overtime  work  during  the  busy  seasons. 

The  "piece-rate"  method  of  compensation  prevailed  in  a  large  number 
of  the  establishments.  If  the  season  was  good  and  the  demand  for  the 
factory's  product  was  great,  a  woman  doing  piece-work  was  allowed  to 
"speed-up"  throughout  the  day.  If,  however,  there  was  little  demand  for 
the  product,  her  output  was  restricted  to  the  exigencies  of  the  season, 
but  she  was  often  required  to  remain  during  working  hours.  It  was 
said  that  "piece-workers"  rarely  maintain  their  maximum  for  any  great 
length  of  time. 

While  the  average  weekly  earnings  of  the  factory  workers  were  shown 
to  be  lower  than  those  of  the  store  employes,  the  difference  was  prob- 
ably due  to  the  irregularity  of  their  employment. 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  and  per  cent  of  female  wage- 
earners  in  department  and  other  retail  stores,  factories,  mills,  etc.,  liv- 
ing at  home  who  did  or  did  not  contribute  to  the  family  fund,  with 
amount  paid  to  family  as  board  or  contribution. 

Table  No.  45.— NUMBER  AND  PER  CENT  OF  FEMALE  WAGE-EARNERS  IN  DEPARTMENT 
AND  OTHER  RETAIL  STORES,  FACTORIES,  ETC.,  LIVING  AT  HOME  WHO  DID  OR 
DID  NOT  CONTRIBUTE  TO  THE  FAMILY  FUND  WITH  AMOUNT  PAID  TO  FAMILY 
AS  BOARD  OR  CONTRIBUTION. 


Paid  to  family  as 

Number 

Number  contributing. 

Per  cent  contributing. 

board  and 
contribution. 

reporting 

contribu- 

tions. 

All  their 
earnings. 

Part  of 
their 
earnings. 

None  of 
their 
earnings. 

All  their 
earnings. 

Part  of 
their 
earnings. 

None  of 
their 
earnings. 

Number 
contrib- 
uting. 

Average 
weekly. 

Department  and  other 

retail  stores  

1,214 

832 

327 

55 

68.5 

27 

4.5 

1,225 

$5  38 

Factories,  mills,  etc..  . 

3,370 

2,601 

723 

46 

77.2 

21.4 

1.4 

3,313 

5  46 

Total  

4,584 

3,433 

1,050 

101 

74.9 

22.9 

2.2 

4,538 

$544 

1 

1 

p 


There  is  a  striking  conclusion  to  be  drawn  from  the  above  table,  in 
the  large  percentage  of  the  wage-earners  who  live  at  home  and  who  turn 
over  all  their  earnings  into  the  family  fund.  Of  the  1,1M4  women  em- 
loyed in  stores.  Soli  or  08.5  per  cent  were  reported  to  be  contributing 


322 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


their  entire  earnings  to  the  family.  Similarly  127  or  27  per  cent,  pave 
part  of  their  earnings;  and  but  55  or  4.5  per  cent  were  reported  as  con- 
tributing nothing  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  home.  The  average 
weekly  contribution  to  the  family  exchequer  was  found  to  be  $5.38. 

In  the  factories,  mills,  etc.,  3,370  women  and  girls  were  interviewed 
and  of  this  number  it  was  found  that  2,601  or  77.2  per  cent  gave  all 
their  earnings  home.  Seven  hundred  and  twenty-three  or  21.4  per  cent 
gave  part  of  their  wages  home,  and  46  or  1.4  per  cent  gave  none  of  their 
earnings  into  the  family  fund.  The  average  weekly  contribution  of  these 
workers  was  $5.46. 

Many  foreign-born  families  consider  children  as  an  investment,  and 
accordingly  they  hold  that  they  have  a  just  claim  to  the  earnings  of  their 
offspring  as  long  as  they  remain  at  home.  The  girls  are  each  week  ex- 
pected to  turn  over  to  the  families  their  \veekly  envelope  with  the  con- 
tents intact.  In  many  instances  the  mother,  when  asked  the  question : 
"What  does  Mary  do  with  her  wages?"  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and 
answered:  "Sure,  she  gives  it  all  to  me.  We  have  a  large  family  to 
keep."  Frequently  the  answer  was :  "The  girls  support  the  family,  their 
father  is  dead,  and  I  cannot  work."  This  seems  to  disprove  the  popular 
conception  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  wage-earning  women  living  at 
home,  work  merely  to  earn  spending  money. 

Analysis  of  the  findings  covering  the  number  of  women  wage-earners 
keeping  house,  the  number  living  with  private  families,  in  boarding  or 
lodging  houses,  or  in  organized  boarding  houses,  with  average  weekly 
earnings  and  cost  of  living  (food,  shelter,  heat,  light  and  laundry)  is 
shown  in  the  following  table: 

Table  No.  46.— NUMBER  OF  WOMEN  WAGE-EARNERS  IN  SEVEN  CITIES  KEEPING 
HOUSE,  LIVING  WITH  PRIVATE  FAMILIES,  IN  BOARDING  OR  LODGING  HOUSES, 
OR  IN  "ORGANIZED  BOARDING  HOUSES,"  WITH  AVERAGE  WEEKLY  EARNINGS 
AND  COST  OF  LIVING  (FOOD,  SHELTER,  HEAT,  LIGHT,  AND  LAUNDRY). 


Character  of  information. 

Number 
reported. 

Average 
weekly 
earnings. 

Average 
cost  of 
living. 

Women  keeping  house  ,  
Women  living  in  private  families  
Women  living  in  boarding  or  lodging  houses  
Women  living  in  "organized  boarding  or  lodging  houses"  

267 
636 
542 
162 

$6  57 
6  78 
7  31 
7  16 

$3  IS 
3  43 
4  24 
3  62 

Total 

1,607 

$6  96 

$3  66 

Of  the  1,067  women  and  girls  interviewed  267  or  16.6  per  cent  were 
found  living  in  homes  of  their  own  making.  They  include  the  married  or 
widowed  women  left  dependent  upon  their  own  resources.  While  in  a 
few  cases  the  earnings  of  some  relative  were  added  to  the  general  fund, 
it  was  always  the  woman  who  was  the  mainstay  of  the  family.  The 
average  weekly  earnings  of  these  267  women  were  $6.57,  and  the  average 
weekly  cost  of  living  (food,  shelter,  heat,  light  and  laundry)  was  $:US. 
This  amount  included  only  the  cost  for  the  worker  herself,  and  did  not 
include  the  contributions  toward  the  support  of  those  dependent  upon 
her. 

Figures  secured  by  the  investigator  show  that  of  the  267  women  noted 
4-6  have  a  total  of  at  least  87  persons  entirely  dependent  on  them  for 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  323 

support,  an  average  of  two  persons  beside  themselves  for  whom  1hey 
have  to  provide  on  an  average  weekly  wage  of  fG.57. 

There  were  03G,  or  30.0  per  cent  reported  living  or  boarding  in  pri- 
vate families.  Their  average  weekly  wage  was  $(>.7S  and  average  weekly 
cost  of  living  was  $3.43.  In  this  group  were  found  many  foreign-born 
women  living  in  families  of  their  respective  nationality,  and  as  a  general 
rule  in  very  poor  and  over-crowded  quarters.  Thirty-one  of  these  women 
paid  less  than  $1.50  per  week  for  room  and  board,  but  their  manner 
of  living  would  not  be  endurable  to  American  women.  Tn  one  household, 
there  were  five  people  in  two  rooms,  the  girl  lodger,  the  landlady  and 
her  husband  sharing  one  room,  and  a  male  lodger  sleeping  in  the  kitchen. 

One  third  of  these  women  earned  an  average  less  than  ff>  per  week. 
The  women  in  the  better  class  of  private  families  usually  had  pleasant 
surroundings,  living  in  homes  where  every  comfort  was  provided,  and 
with  people  of  education  and  refinement. 

Only  30  or  4.7  per  cent  of  this  group  had  others  entirely  dependent 
upon  them,  and  there  were  only  35  such  persons,  while  78  women  or 
IL'.L'  per  cent  had  a  total  of  01  persons  partially  dependent  on  them. 

While  the  cost  of  living  for  this  group  of  women  is  shown  to  be  $8.43 
per  week,  50  per  cent  paid  more  than  that  amount.  Five  hundred  and 
forty-two  or  33.7  per  cent  were  living  in  boarding  or  lodging  houses. 
The  summary  table  shows  this  to  be  the  most  expensive  way  to  live,  cost- 
ing on  an  average  |4.24  per  week.  The  average  weekly  wage  received 
by  this  group  was  (7.31. 

Forty-five  per  cent  of  the  women  boarding  and  lodging  had  the  use 
of  the  general  sitting-room.  With  the  high  city  rents,  many  of  the 
lodging  house  keepers  feel  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  up  their  largest 
and  best  paying  room,  "the  parlor,"  for  a  public  sitting-room. 

It  will  be  observed  that  between  the  expenditures  for  the  necessaries 
of  life  and  the  average  earnings  there  was  little  margin.  When  it  was 
necessary  to  purchase  clothing,  something  had  to  be  cut  from  the  ex- 
penditures for  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  usually  the  amount  was  made 
up  through  greater  economy  practiced  in  the  purchase  of  nourishing 
food.  One  girl,  who  came  to  the  notice  of  the  investigator  was  living 
in  a  comfortable  boarding  house.  On  a  second  call  she  was  found  in  a 
much  cheaper  lodging  house,  where  she  prepared  her  own  meals.  Her 
only  explanation  was  that  it  was  time  to  get  some  new  clothes,  and 
she  had  "to  save  it  out  of  her  board."  "Oh,  my;  where  would  we  get 
our  clothes  if  we  bought  meat  every  day?"  was  the  way  one  of  a  group 
of  four  housekeeping  girls  answered  the  query  as  to  this  detail  of  house- 
hold expenses. 

The  opportunities  for  recreation  and  amusement  offered  to  working 
women  were  about  the  same  for  all.  Asked  what  they  did  for  amuse- 
ment, the  answers  ranged  from  church  to  fancy-dress  ball,  but  the  most 
common  form  of  amusement  seemed  to  be  "taking  a  walk,"  recreation 
parks,  moving  pictures,  theatres  and  dance  halls.  As  a  general  rule, 
I  he  younger  women  amused  themselves  in  this  way.  The  older  workers 
were  glad  to  remain  at  home  after  a  hard  day's  work.  For  them,  too, 
the  day's  work  was  not  over  when  they  left  the  place  of  employment. 
Mislead  there  were  home  duties  to  keep  them  busy  until  long  after  the 
time  they  should  have  retired  in  order  to  regain  their  strength  for  the 
morrow. 


324  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Fifty-five  per  cent  of  the  women  lacked  one  of  the  important  elements 
of  the  home;  a  pleasant  room  in  which  to  receive  friends.  Often  the 
rooms  were  furnished  to  look  like  parlors,  with  couches  or  folding  beds. 
Many  said  they  would  not  use  a  parlor  if  there  was  one,  because  of  the 
publicity  and  the  possibility  of  meeting  undesirable  fellow-lodgers.  It 
was  not  the  rule  for  a  landlady  to  refuse  permission  to  a  girl  entertain- 
ing her  gentlemen  friends  in  her  bedroom,  provided  they  did  not  make 
such  a  noise  as  to  disturb  the  whole  house,  and  did  not  remain  too  late. 
It  had  become  so  much  a  matter  of  course  for  these  girls  to  receive  men 
in  their  rooms  that  nothing  wrong  was  thought  of  the  custom.  The 
only  alternative  was  to  meet  them  on  the  street.  A  girl  living  in  a 
private  family  had  an  advantage  over  the  girl  living  in  a  lodging  or 
boarding  house  as  she  Avas  treated  as  one  of  the  family,  and  had  the 
use  of  the  general  sitting-room  in  which  to  entertain  her  company. 

The  smallest  group  of  women  lived  in  the  "organized  boarding  houses," 
— only  1G2,  or  10.1  per  cent.  These  girls  were  found  to  be  the  youngest 
of  any  group,  yet  they  were  earning  next  to  the  highest  wage,  $7.16  per 
week,  which  indicated  that  houses  of  this  type  attracted  the  most  in- 
telligent girls.  The  average  weekly  cost  of  living  was  $3.62. 

The  chief  objection  offered  by  girls  to  living  at  these  organized  lodg- 
ing houses  seemed  to  be  the  iron-clad  restrictions  imposed.  All  had 
a  definite  hour  for  closing — usually  10  o'clock — and  in  some  cases  the 
girl  who  was  not  in  by  that  hour  was  locked  out  for  the  night. 

The  girls  were  permitted  to  receive  their  gentlemen  friends  only  in  the 
parlors  provided  for  the  purpose.  An  attractive,  intelligent  girl  in  one 
of  the  homes  was  asked  why  more  girls  did  not  come.  "Because  they 
won't  stand  for  the  restrictions,"  was  the  reply.  "They  don't  want  to 
be  watched  and  interfered  with  all  the  time."  She  concluded  sagely; 
"And  those  girls  that  kick  most  about  the  regulations  are  the  ones  that 
need  them  most." 

Vol.  XVIII  of  the  same  report  presents  the  study  of  women  and  girls 
employed  in  23  industries  located  in  17  different  states,  Michigan  being 
included  among  the  number.  In  but  four  of  the  industries  were  there 
less  than  1,000  employes.  The  percentage  of  women  and  girls  in  each 
industry  ranged  from  8.6  per  cent  in  core-making  to  84.7  per  cent  in  the 
making  of  shirts,  overalls,  etc.  In  only  one  instance  did  the  proportion 
of  female  workers  fall  below  twenty  per  cent  of  the  working  force,  and 
in  other  cases  it  rose  to  one-half  or  over.  Data  were  secured  from  (>1 ,528 
females  employed  in  the  23  different  industries  covered,  and  figures  sub- 
mitted show  tiiat  they  formed  54.9  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  work- 
ers. In  some  of  the  industries  investigated  girls  as  young  as  eight 
years  were  found,  while  in  more  than  half  of  them  women  of  65  or  over 
were  found.  Only  3.0  per  cent  (2,160)  of  the  whole  group  entered  the 
industrial  field  under  15. 

The  investigation  covered  the  study  of  nationality  of  the  workers, 
their  age  distribution,  to  what  degree  married  women  were  found  among 
them,  their  earnings,  ami  the  conditions  of  their  work.  The  individual 
slip  was  used  to  secure  data  from  the  workers,  and  contained  questions 
as  to  exact  nature  of  work  done,  sex,  age,  conjugal  condition,  race,  and 
also  number  of  hours  at  work,  the  money  earned  during  an  actual  week 
taken  as  generally  representative  of  normal  conditions,  and  the  rate, 
whether  by  time  or  piece. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  325 

Special  sludy  was  made  of  the  actual  competition  between  the  sexes 
in  the  different  industries  under  consideration.  One  general  conclusion 
was  found  that  in  nearly  all  the  industries  where  both  sexes  were  em- 
ployed, the  women  predominated  in  the  unskilled  work,  probably  be- 
cause these  could  be  secured  at  a  lower  wage  than  what  is  usually  paid 
the  men.  It  was  reported  that  women  were  making  no  progress  in  the 
skilled  occupations,  and  that  their  relative  increase  in  the  industries 
was  due  to  the  growing  use  of  machines  which  require  little  training, 
strength,  and  sometimes  not  much  intelligence  on  the  part  of  the  oper- 
ator. The  men  were  usually  given  the  heavy  work,  and  the  machine 
work  requiring  skill  or  knowledge  of  machinery,  while  the  women  were 
assigned  to  the  lighter  work,  in  which  their  defter  touch  make  them 
turn  out  a  neater  and  more  marketable  commodity.  Another  conclu- 
sion was:  Women  rarely  displace  men  in  the  skilled  trades.  Women 
were  not,  as  a  rule,  found  to  be  learning  a  trade,  because  they  did  not 
always  expect,  to  be  wage-earners,  but  rather  looked  forward  to  matri- 
mony. 

The  industries  covered  in  Michigan  were  those  manufacturing  tin 
cans,  boxes  and  pails,  cigar  boxes,  tobacco  and  cigars,  corsets,  hosiery 
and  knit  goods,  paper  boxes  and  woolen  and  worsted  goods.  No  defi- 
nite information  was  available  as  to  the  growth  of  can  making,  which 
included  the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of  tin  cans,  boxes,  pails  and  other 
receptacles  for  package  goods  or  liquids.  It  is  a  matter  of  common 
knowledge  that  this  industry  has  increased  enormously  within  the  past 
few  years — following  the  more  general  demand  for  prepared  meats,  fruits, 
vegetables,  oils,  soups,  etc.,  which  heretofore  wrere  only  put  up  for  the 
local  market,  and  which  necessarily  had  but  a  limited  sale. 

There  were  97  women  and  girls  employed  in  this  industry  in  Michi- 
gan, 13  or  22.3  per  cent  of  this  number  being  under  16  years  of  age. 
This  was  found  to  be  largely  a  machine  industry,  the  women  workers 
being  the  operators.  While  the  nature  of  the  work  was  light,  the  em- 
ployment was  considered  dangerous  owing  to  the  type  of  the  machines, 
which  are  difficult  to  guard  against  accidents.  When  the  machines  are 
not  properly  adjusted,  it  involves  a  physical  strain  which  often  proves 
harmful.  The  work  was  found  to  be  extremely  dirty  and  noisy,  and  for 
that  reason  did  not  attract  the  more  intelligent  class  of  women  workers, 
90.3  per  cent  of  these  workers  in  Michigan  and  Illinois  being  Polish 
women.  Louisiana  showed  the  largest  proportion  of  employes  under 
10  years  of  age — 22.3  per  cent  of  its  workers  being  in  that  group;  Michi- 
gan came  next  with  18.3  per  cent  under  1(5. 

As  this  investigation  was  completed  in  April,  1909,  and  the  54-hour 
per  week  limitation  law  passed  did  not  become  effective  until  June  2nd 
of  that  year,  the  total  number  of  hours  worked  per  week  in  this  industry 
was  GO,  with  but  30  minutes  allowed  at  noon  for  lunch.  Overtime  had 
been  required  fifteen  times  during  the  year,  with  an  average  of  four 
hours  each  week  when  worked. 

Fifty-six  of  the  women  were  18  years  of  age  and  over,  and  21.43  per 
cent  of  this  number  earned  under  $5  per  week;  42.80  per  cent  were 
earning  under  $0  per  week  and  75  per  cent  were  reported  as  earning 
under  $8.  None  was  given  as  earning  S10  or  over. 

In  the  cigar  box  industry  an  unusual  condition  obtains  since  a  larger 
proportion  of  the  male  than  of  the  female  workers  were  found  in  the 
youngest  age  group;  1.02  per  cent  of  the  male  workers  as  against  .00 


326  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

per  cent  of  the  females  were  under  16.  Women  and  children  did  not 
form  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  working  force  in  the  cigar  box  in- 
dustry as  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  and  fancy  boxes.  Most  of  the 
work  is  entirely  unskilled,  and  is  easily  learned,  although  it  requires 
practice  to  gain  speed.  The  industry  to  a  great  extent  was  found  to  be 
carried  on  by  the  young  workers. 

Eighty  women  were  interviewed  in  Michigan,  of  which  number  54.17 
per  cent  of  the  workers  were  under  18  years  of  age;  61.11.  per  cent  were 
under  20  years  of  age,  and  only  13.89  per  cent  were  25  years  or  over. 

One-fourth  of  the  total  number  of  female  employes  interviewed  in  the 
cigar  box  industry  earned  less  than  |4  during  the  given  week,  while  two- 
thirds  earned  less  than  $6,  and  84.48  per  cent  earned  less  than  $8  dur- 
ing the  week  under  consideration. 

It  was  found  that  of  the  71  women  reporting  age,  35.21  per  cent  were 
under  18  years  of  age;  59.15  per  cent  under  20  years  of  age,  and  but 
8.45  per  cent  were  25  years  or  over.  The  largest  percentage  of  the  work- 
ers were  of  German  parentage,  91.9  per  cent  of  the  total  German  repre- 
sentation being  found  in  Maryland,  Ohio,  and  Michigan.  The  average 
number  of  hours  worked  per  week  was  57  with  GO  minutes  for  lunch. 
Overtime  was  required  10  times  during  the  year,  with  an  average  of 
six  hours  when  worked. 

The  Thirteenth  Census  of  Michigan  Manufacturers  gives  729  establish- 
ments engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cigars,  cigarettes,  chewing  and 
smoking  tobacco  and  snuff,  employing  6,026  females.  All  but  14  of  this 
number  were  engaged  primarily  in  the  manufacture  of  cigars  and  cigar- 
ettes, but  the  value  of  their  output  formed  only  about  three-fifths  of  the 
total  shown  for  the  entire  industry.  Detroit  was  shown  to  be  the  center 
of  this  industry  as  it  reports  over  three-fourths  of  the  total  value  of  the 
tobacco  products  for  the  State  in  1909.  The  largest  number  of  female 
wage-earners  under  16  years  of  age  of  any  industry  in  the  State  was 
found  in  the  tobacco  manufacturing  industry,  in  which  54£  children 
were  employed,  representing  6.3  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  wage- 
earners  employed  in  the  industry. 

Eleven  hundred  and  twenty  women  and  children  were  personally  in- 
terviewed in  the  cigar  industry  in  Michigan,  of  which  number  120  were 
under  16  years  of  age.  Eighty  and  forty-three  hundredths  per  cent  were 
under  20  years  of  age,  and  only  3.02  per  cent  were  25  years  or  over.  Of 
the  254  women  interviewed  who  were  18  years  of  age  or  over,  1.1.4  per 
cent  earned  |5;  23.2  per  cent  under  |6,  and  33.5  per  cent  were  paid  fS 
and  over. 

Considering  the  distribution  by  state,  Michigan  shows  the  largest  pro- 
portion of  female  workers;  Florida  the  smallest.  In  only  five  of  the 
states  visited,  Maryland,  North  Carolina,  Louisiana,  Indiana  and  Michi- 
gan, were  there  as  many  as  one-tenth  of  the  female  workers  under  16. 

In  Michigan  54.80  per  cent  of  the  female  workers  were  under  18  years 
of  age;  80.43  per  cent  under  20  years  of  age,  and  only  3.02  per  cent  25 
years  or  over. 

Considering  only  those  states  in  which  there  were  more  than  one  hun- 
dred women  employed  in  the  cigar  industry,  New  York  showed  the 
smallest  proportion — 1.8  per  cent  of  white  Americans — and  North  Caro- 
lina the  largest — 91.9  per  cent.  The  Cubans,  Spanish  and  Italians  were 
relatively  more  numerous  in  Florida  than  elsewhere;  the  Germans  most 
numerous  in  Maryland,  the  Hebrews  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Poles  in 


MINIMUM  WAGJE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  327 

.Michigan.  The  average  working  week  was  'found  to  be  531/2  hours,  with 
45  minutes  for  lunch.  Overtime  was  required  20  times  during  the  year, 
with  eight  hours  average  per  week  when  worked.  Women  predominated 
in  the  unskilled  work  probably  because  they  could  be  secured  at  wages 
which  did  not  attract  men. 

The  tobacco  industry  in  Michigan  was  represented  by  770  women  and 
girls,  of  which  number  58  per  cent  were  under  16  years  of  age;  52.34  per 
cent  under  20,  and  15.43  per  cent  were  25  years  or  over.  The  work  was 
not  considered  seasonal,  although  some  establishments  reported  a  slack 
time  in  December.  There  seemed  little  possibility  of  advance  in  this  in- 
dustry, as  the  occupations  tilled  by  women  could  be  learned,  as  a  rule, 
in  from  a  week  to  two  months,  according  to  the  ability  of  the  workers. 

A  large  part  of  the  women's  work  was  performed  standing,  many  of 
the  workers  preferring  to  do  so  as  they  think  they  can  work  faster. 

Of  the  515  interviewed  in  Michigan  over  18  years  of  age  who  reported 
on  earnings,  39  per  cent  earned  under  |5;  55.1  per  cent  earned  under  |G 
and  63.3  per  cent  earned  under  $8,  while  0.3  per  cent  reported  they 
earned  $10  or  over. 

Nine  establishments,  located  in  four  states,  were  visited  where  women 
were  employed  in  the  corset  industry,  with  a  total  of  4,857  employes, 
both  sexes.  In  Michigan  768  women  and  girls  were  interviewed.  Of  this 
number  03  were  under  10  years  of  age.  Work  was  reported  as  not  being 
seasonal,  yet  overtime  seemed  to  be  common.  Of  742  reporting  age  and 
wages  33.15  per  cent  were  under  18  years  of  age;  56.47  per  cent  under 
20,  and  15.63  per  cent  were  25  years  and  over.  Those  of  Irish  parentage 
/were  most  numerous  in  Connecticut,  which  state  in  1909  employed  45 
per  cent  of  the  total  wage-earners  in  this  industry  and  turned  out  46 
per  cent  of  the  total  product.  There  was  also  a  large  percentage  of 
English,  Americans  and  Hungarians  employed  in  Connecticut,  while  the 
Germans  and  Polish,  both  races  in  which  the  age  level  was  found  to  be 
low,  were  relatively  numerous  in  Illinois.  The  Germans  formed  more 
than  two-fifths  of  the  Michigan  corset  workers. 

The  average  hours  worked  per  week  was  given  as  54,  and  45  minutes 
the  average  time  allowed  for  lunch.  Overtime  was  required  12  times 
during  the  year,  but  the  number  of  hours  worked  overtime  each  week 
was  not  reported.  Fifteen  and  eight  hundredths  per  cent  earned  under 
>C>  per  week;  16.78  per  cent  under  |6,  and  13.09  per  cent  earned  under 
|8,  while  but  .71  per  cent  were  reported  as  earning  |12  or  over. 

In  1909  when  data  covering  the  hosiery  and  knit  goods  industry  were 
gathered,  64  establishments  were  visited  in  15  different  states,  employing 
16,951.  workers,  and  data  were  secured  covering  their  employment.  In 
Michigan,  62!)  female  workers  were  interviewed,  and  8.07  per  cent  were 
under  16  years  of  age;  51.21  per  cent  under  20  years,  and  14.72  per  cent 
were  25  years  and  over.  As  to  age,  the  Americans  showed  the  largest 
proportion  of  young  workers.  Practically  all  of  the  young  girls  under 
14  found  at  work  were  Americans,  while  14  per  cent  of  the  American 
female  workers  were  under  16.  The  average  work  week  was  581/2  hours, 
with  45  minutes  allowed  for  lunch.  Overtime  was  required  12 
times  in  the  year,  with  an  average  of  five  hours  per  week  on  weeks 
worked.  Twenty-eight  and  one-tenth  per  c^ent  of  the  female  workers 
over  IS  years  of  age  earned  under  $5;  50.3  per  cent  earned  under  |6,  and 
85. 9  per  cent  earned  under  $8,  and  but  2.9  per  cent  earned  $10  and  over. 


328  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

The  Census  of  1901)  reports  10  establishments  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  fancy  and  paper  boxes  in  Michigan.  There  were  202  female  work- 
ers interviewed,  of  which  number  12  were  under  10  years  of  age.  Of  the 
135  females  interviewed  as  to  age,  29.03  per  cent  were  under  18  years 
of  age;  52.00  per  cent  under  20  years,  and  22.22  per  cent  were  25  years 
and  over.  The  age  level  was  shown  to  be  very  low  in  this  industry,  10 
years  being  the  age  at  which  the  greatest  number  of  the  workers  were 
found,  over  one-eighth  of  the  whole  number  being  of  that  age.  Nearly 
three-fifths  of  the  whole  number — 58.44  per  cent — were  under  20,  while 
only  one-fifth  are  found  to  be  25  years  or  over.  In  the  manufacture  of 
the  cheaper  grade  of  boxes  it  was  found  that  experience  counts  for  prac- 
tically nothing,  and  for  that  reason  the  wages  were  low  and  did  not  at- 
tract the  older  workers.  Also  in  work  of  that  nature  the  greater  speed 
of  the  young  worker  was  found  to  be  one  reason  for  her  employment. 
Only  7.30  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  female  workers  found  em- 
ployed in  the  paper  box  industries  in  the  states  visited  for  that  purpose 
were  or  had  been  married.  The  average  work  week  was  55  hours,  with  30 
minutes  for  lunch.  There  was  no  overtime  reported.  Most  of  the  work 
was  performed  on  a  piece-rate  basis.  Nearly  three-fifths  of  the  female 
workers  earned  less  than  fG  in  a  "specimen"  week.  The  work  was  light, 
was  not  found  to  be  necessarily  unpleasant,  although  most  of  it  involved 
standing,  and  women  and  girls  were  often  found  employed  on  dangerous 
machines. 

The  manufacture  of  woolen  and  worsted  goods  was  found  to  be 
largely  confined  to  the  New  England  and  Eastern  States.  Massa- 
chusetts in  1905  employed  over  one-fourth  of  the  average  number  of 
wage-earners  in  the  industry. 

During  this  investigation  40  establishments,  located  in  11  states, 
and  employing  12,724  wage-earners  were  visited.  The  women  wrere 
almost  entirely  employed  at  machines,  and  a  large  part  of  the  work 
demanded  skill  and  nearly  all  parts  of  the  work  requires  some  experi- 
ence, Most  of  the  work  involves  constant  standing,  frequent  stoop- 
ing and  lifting.  None  of  the  machines  were  reported  as  dangerous,  al- 
though belts  and  gearings  were  very  frequently  found  unguarded. 
Ninety-four  women  and  girls  were  interviewed  in  this  industry  in 
Michigan,  and  only  one  was  found  to  be  under  10  years  of  age.  Of  the 
total  number  of  women  interviewed,  74.05  per  cent  were  single,  although 
the  proportion  of  women  who  were,  or  had  been  married,  was  found  to 
be  unusually  large. 

The  investigation  revealed  the  following:  Sixty  hours  work  per  week; 
50  minutes  for  lunch;  12  reported  overtime,  with  four  hours  per  week 
as  the  overtime  worked.  The  age  level  in  this  industry  was  found 
to  be  considerably  higher  than  in  many  of  the  industries  studied.  Of 
those  reporting,  who  were  18  years  of  age  or  over,  20.5  per  cent  earned 
under  f>5;  48.2  per  cent  earned  under  fG;  71.1  per  cent  earned  under  f8 
and  10.8  per  cent  earned  $10  or  over.  Pennsylvania  and  North  Caro- 
lina have  the  largest  proportion  of  females  under  10,  and  Massachusetts 
and  Michigan  were  found  to  have  the  smallest.  Massachusetts  at  that 
time  was  the  leading  state  in  the  manufacture  of  woolen  and  worsted 
products,  while  Michigan  was  not  well  represented  in  that  particular 
industry. 


APPENDIX   I. 


SI'KCIAL  INVESTIGATION  OF  THE  CANNING  INDUSTRIES  OF 

MICHIGAN. 


BY   H.    W.   BREMER. 

Sometime  ago  there  \vas  considerable  agitation  throughout  the  coun- 
try on  the  long  hours  worked  by  women  and  young  girls  in  canning 
factories.  H.  W.  Bremer,  who  had  special  training  along  this  line,  was 
brought  from  New  York  by  the  Michigan  Labor  Bureau  to  conduct  an 
investigation  of  the  canning  establishments  of  Michigan.  The  report 
has  never  been  used,  but  as  it  has  in  it  points  applicable  to  this  par- 
ticular investigation,  and  as  this  Commission  has  not  of  itself  investi- 
gated the  canning  industry,  it  has  been  thought  proper  to  incorporate 
the  pertinent  portions  of  it  in  this  report.  Mr.  Bremer  says: 

The  canning  industry  presents  two  serious  problems  to  the  canner. 
One  is  the  perishability  of  his  crop,  and  the  other  the  labor  problem. 
The  canner  has  to  deal  with  a  product  that  must  be  canned  within  a 
very  few  hours  after  it  has  ripened.  How  to  do  this  without  working 
excessive  hours  at  times,  he  does  not  know.  His  problem  is  made  harder 
by  the  action  of  nature  in  ripening  his  crops.  If  the  weather  is  not  just 
right  the  crops  will  be  retarded  and  will  ripen  up  at  the  time  some 
other  crop  is  ripening,  thus  making  a  surplus  of  goods  at  the  fac- 
tory. Or  the  weather  may  be  so  fair  that  the  crops  will  ripen  much 
ahead  of  time,  again  throwing  them  into  the  factory  at  the  same 
time  some  other  crop  is  being  worked.  Out  of  this  difficulty  of  more 
goods  than  he  can  handle  in  a  normal  day  the  canner  sees  only  two 
ways.  He  may  let  the  crop  that  he  cannot  handle  go  to  waste,  or  he 
must  work  at  night  until  his  goods  are  canned. 

The  other  problem  is  the  labor  supply.  In  some  factories  the  canner 
cannot  get  sufficient  help  to  handle  his  crops  during  the  rush  season. 
This  means  that  his  workers  must  work  longer  hours,  or  the  products 
will  be  wasted. 

FACTORIES    VISITED. 

The  following  factories  were  visited : 
Mikesell  &  Company,  Traverse  City, 
Central  Lake  Canning  Company,  Central  Lake, 
Fremont  Canning  Company,  Fremont, 


330  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Sears  &  Nichols  Company,  Peiitwater, 

W.  R.  Roach  &  Company,  Hart, 

Oceana  Canning  Company,  Shelby. 

Thomas  Canning  Company,  Grand  Rapids, 

W.  R.  Roach  &  Company,  Kent  City, 

Win.  M.  Traver  &  Company,  Hartford, 

S.  M.  Carpp,  Hartford. 

Most  canning  factories  contract  for  the  vegetables  they  can  in  the 
early  spring.  They  make  an  agreement  with  the  farmers  of  the  neigh- 
borhood by  which  he  takes  their  seed  and  plants  it  and  they  agree  to 
take  all  the  crops  that  he  raises.  In  addition  to  crops  raised  by 
contract  some  canning  factories  raise  part  of  their  products  on  their 
own  farms.  The  attempt  is  always  made  to  distribute  the  plantings 
of  seed  so  that  the  crops  will  mature  at  different  times  and  prevent 
an  over-supply  of  ripened  products  at  the  canning  factory.  Most  can- 
ning factories  employ  field  men  whose  duty  it  is  to  assist  the  farmer 
in  determining  when  to  plant  his  seed  and  to  advise  him  when  to 
gather  his  ripened  crop.  These  field  men  are  employed  with  the  pur- 
pose on  the  part  of  the  canner  to  harvest  the  crop  at  the  time  that 
it  is  in  the  best  condition  for  canning.  The  factories  at  Fremont,  Pent- 
water,  Hart,  Grand  Rapids  and  Kent  City  employ  these  field  men. 

PERISHABILITY   OF   CROPS. 

The  following  crops  are  very  perishable:  Strawberries,  peaches,  Lima- 
beans,  peas  and  string-beans.  These  crops  must  be  "worked  up" 
shortly  after  they  are  brought  to  the  factory,  otherwise  they  deteriorate 
in  quality  and  even  spoil.  Other  fruits  are  perishable  to  a  less  de- 
gree than  strawberries  and  peaches.  Berries  can  be  kept  from  twelve 
to  twenty  hours  before  being  canned,  depending  on  the  climate.  Peaches 
in  some  places  can  be  kept  two  or  three  days  without  injury,  but  most 
canners  consider  it  absolutely  essential  to  "work  them  up"  the  day 
they  are  received,  in  order  to  retain  their  flavor.  Peas  arc  very 
perishable  and  should  be  canned  within  about  six  hours  after  cut- 
ting, otherwise  they  "heat"  and  get  sour.  Peas  can  be  kept  over  nigh  I 
by  being  spread  over  the  ground  before  they  are  threshed,  but  peas  so 
treated  become  hard  and  cannot  be  put  up  as  a  fine  grade  article. 
Lima-beans  are  about  as  perishable  as  peas  and  cannot  be  kept  over. 
String-beans,  most  canners  agree,  can  be  kept  one  night  without  de- 
terioration. Some  canners  extend  this  period  to  two  and  three  nights, 
even. 

The  perishability  of  crops,  coupled  with  the  uncertainty  of  weather 
conditions,  causing  crops  to  ripen  out  of  season,  is  what  causes  over- 
time in  canning  factories.  Distribute  plantings  as  he  may,  the  canner 
cannot  be  sure  that  his  crops  will  not  double  up  on  him  at  the  canning 
season. 

HOURS   OF   WORK. 

Canning  factories  plan  their  work  on  the  basis  of  a  ten-hour  day. 
During  rush  periods  they  work  very  much  longer  than  this.  During 
slack  seasons  they  work  much  less,  and  sometimes  are  shut  down  al- 
together. The  hours  depend  altogether  on  the  way  the  crops  come  in. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  331 

Kvery  runner  but  one  treats  overtime  inevitable  at  certain  seasons. 
.Mr.  Mikesell,  of  Traverse  City,  operated  his  factory  on  a  ten-hour 
day.  What  goods  he  cannot  can  one  day  he  carries  over  to  the  next. 
Most  canners  plan  to  work  up  each  day's  receipts  the  day  they  are 
received.  If  they  did  not  do  this,  they  say,  the  products  would  ac- 
cumulate, and  much  goods  would  spoil  on  their  hands. 

At  Central  Lake  the  factory  ran  overtime  on  string-beans,  and  occa- 
sionally on  corn.  Five  or  six  weeks  would  cover  all  of  the  overtime  for 
the  entire  canning  season. 

At  Fremont  the  overtime  lasts  about  two  weeks  in  the  early  pea 
season,  and  one  week  in  the  late  pea  season.  There  is  usually  at  least 
a  week  of  very  light  work  between  these  two  periods. 

At  Pen  (water  overtime  lasts  two  to  three  weeks  on  the  pea  crop. 
Another  period  of  about  ten  days  occurs  between  the  tenth  and  twenty- 
lifili  of  August,  when  string-beans,  Lima-beans  and  corn  are  worked 
at  the  same  time. 

At  Shelby  overtime  lasts  two  to  three  weeks  on  strawberries,  ten 
days  to  two  weeks  on  cherries  and  two  to  three  weeks  on  peaches.  In- 
tervals of  light  work  separate  these  periods  from  each  other. 

At  Grand  Eapids  the  factory  did  not  run  later  than  midnight  in 
1911.  This  was  due  to  a  breakdown  in  the  machinery.  Overtime  is 
usually  avoided  by  employing  a  double  crew.  This  season  (1912)  the 
factory  has  not  operated  later  than  ten  o'clock  at  night. 

WORKING    CONDITIONS    AT    FACTORIES. 

The  working  conditions  at  these  factories  are  very  good.  The  places 
where  the  majority  of  the  women  work  are  large,  well  ventilated  and 
light.  The  sanitary  features  are  very  good.  In  most  of  the  factories 
sanitary  drinking  fountains  are  provided,  together  with  wash  rooms  and 
soap  and  towels.  The  worst  conditions  under  which  women  work  are 
found  at  the  capping  lines  and  the  bean  grading  machines.  With  scarcely 
an  exception  these  places  are  not  well  ventilated  and  sometimes  the 
heat  is  intense.  The  noise  made  by  the  machinery  and  the  dropping  of 
cans  is  quite  deafening. 

In  all  the  factories  seats  are  provided  for  the  women  at  most  occu- 
pations, the  exception  being  some  forms  of  piece-work  as  apple  paring, 
beet  peeling  and  can  filling.  At  the  other  occupations,  chairs,  stools 
or  benches  are  provided  for  each  worker.  These  seats  are  satisfactory 
except  for  the  boxes.  The  boxes  require  the  ones  using  them  to  main- 
tain a  cramped  posture  for  long  periods.  Benches  or  chairs  might  be 
used  in  place  of  these. 

LABOR  SUPPLY. 

All  of  these  factories  employ  local  help  and  in  most  cases  this  is 
sntlicieiit  for  all  periods  of  the  season.  Men  are  used  for  the  machine 
work  and  all  rough  work.  Women  are  used  on  the  lighter  work.  In 
no  instance  did  I  find  women  doing  any  heavy  lifting  or  carrying. 
This  is  all  done  by  men. 

At  Hartford  these  factories  divide  the  available  labor  supply.  One 
of  these  factories  is  operating  this  year  for  the  first  time.  In  spite 


332  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

of  its  entrance  in  the  field,  the  heads  of  two  of  the  factories  say  the 
supply  is  sufficient  for  all  needs.  Even  in  rush  periods  they  can  se- 
cure all  the  help  they  want.  Additional  help  more  than  he  uses  on  peas 
would  not  aid  Mr.  Traver  at  all,  since  in  his  pea  rush  his  machinery 
is  taxed  to  its  utmost  capacit}^ 

The  number  of  people  employed  fluctuates  during  the  season.  During 
rush  periods  the  factories  will  be  crowded  and  this  may  be  followed 
by  a  time  of  very  light  work  and  even  an  absolute  shut  down.  The 
labor  supply  understands  the  situation  and  gladly  returns  when  work 
or  new  crop  starts.  Most  of  the  canners  say  that  it  is  easy  to  get 
help  for  their  rush  periods.  One  canner  stated  that  he  could  get  all 
the  help  he  could  use,  but  with  that  could  not  get  his  crops  ready  to 
can  fast  enough.  Practically  all  the  work  is  done  at  the  canning  fac- 
tory, but  during  the  string-bean  season  some  factories  distribute  bags 
of  beans  to  be  strung  through  the  homes  in  the  village  and  so  increase 
their  labor  supply.  In  some  cases  advertising  is  resorted  to  as  at  Shelby 
in  1911.  This  is  not  very  successful,  however,  since  outsiders  do  not  find 
it  easy  to  secure  places  to  live  in  the  village.  This  difficulty,  with  the 
irregularity  of  the  work,  deters  people  from  leaving  their  homes  to  go 
to  the  place  where  the  canning  factory  is  located. 

In  no  case  were  children  employed  in  the  factory,  or  even  permitted 
to  work  with  their  parents.  In  two  cases  children  were  seen  with  their 
parents,  but  they  were  not  working.  The  parents  could  not  come  to 
the  factory  unless  they  could  bring  their  children  with  them.  A  num- 
ber of  minors  have  taken  out  working  certificates  this  year  and  are 
employed  at  times  in  the  factories.  There  are  nineteen  males  and 
fifty-eight  females  who  have  thus  secured  working  certificates. 

In  practically  every  case  the  superintendent  assured  me  that  chil- 
dren under  14  are  of  very  little  use  as  workers.  Children  between  14 
and  16,  if  watched,  will  do  good  work. 

WAGES. 

Men  in  canning  factories  usually  receive  15  and  17i/>  cents  an  hour. 
Boys  are  paid  12i/>  cents  and  sometimes  less.  A  few  men  receive  more 
than  17j/i>  cents — the  cook  and  engineer  always  do.  The  prevailing 
rate  of  pay  for  women  is  10  cents  an  hour.  The  factory  at  Central  Lake 
pays  only  8  cents  to  women.  Some  occupations  for  women  pay  12 ^ 
and  15  cents  an  hour.  Piece-workers'  wages  can  be  gotten  from  the 
schedules. 

OVERTIME. 

At  Kent  City  overtime  on  early  peas  lasts  about  ten  days,  and  on 
late  peas  about  five  days.  An  interval  of  about  a  week  separates 
these  periods.  Overtime  also  occurs  on  corn  and  Lima-beans  for  about 
ten  days,  and  for  about  one  week  on  string-beans.  In  1911  on  a  big  peach 
crop  the  factory  ran  until  ten  or  eleven  at  night,  for  about  ten  days. 

At  Win.  M.  Travers'  factory  at  Hartford  the  women  in  1911  worked 
in  two  crews  on  peas,  and  so  did  not  have  to  work  overtime  but  very 
little.  One  crew  would  start  at  9  A.  M.  and  work  till  8  or  9  P.  M. 
Then  fresh  girls,  who  had  not  been  working  before  on  that  day,  look 
their  places  and  worked  till  all  the  peas  were  canned.  During  (his 
period  the  men  had  no  change  at  all,  but  worked  right  on  through 
the  night.  They  were  given  a  rest  of  a  half-hour  and  a  lunch  at  mid- 


I  MINIMUM  WACJR  LRCUSLATTON  FOR  WOMEN.  333 

night.  This  condition  lasted  one  week.  A  period  of  overlime  also  or- 
curred  on  strawberries,  and  lasted  one  week.  On  siring  beans  over- 
time lasted  two  weeks,  and  during  that  lime  the  factory  operated  as 
lale  as  twelve  or  one  o'clock  at:  night.  Between  strawberries  and  peas 
a  period  of  two  weeks  of  light  work  came  in  and  a  period  of  e<|iial 
length  between  peas  and  beans. 

In  1012  girls  worked  on  the  capping  lines  three  nights  till  4  A.  M. 
They  returned  to  work  the  following  morning  at  0  o'clock.  A  double 
crew  could  not  be  nsed  this  year  because  of  scarcity  of  women. 

At  the  Tarpp  factory  at  .Hartford  women  were  replaced  by  men  if 
the  factory  had  to  operate  after  1)  P.  M. 

At  the  Shelby  factory  during  the  rush  period  they  did  not  work  over 
fifteen  hours.  In  one  case  only  did  a  fifteen-hour  day  come  on  two 
consecutive  days.  The  same  is  true  of  fourteen  hours.  The  hardest 
period  came  between  September  11  and  September  IS,  when  the  women 
worked  thirteen  hours  a  day  for  seven  days  out  of  the  nine. 

At  Pent waler  the  first  period  of  overtime  began  on  the  21st  of  June 
and  lasted  until  the  8th  of  July,  a  period  of  sixteen  days.  It  will  be 
noted  that  two  Sundays  and  the  Fourth  of  July  are  included  in  this 
period.  On  those  days  the  factory  was  not  in  operation.  The  next 
period  of  overtime  was  between  the  20th  of  July  and  the  20th  of  July. 
During  this  period  only  a  few  women  worked  overtime.  The  next 
period  was  between  August  28  and  September  23.  During  this  period 
some  women  worked  excessively  long  hours,  some  working  as  high  as 
twenty  hours  and  one  twenty-two  hours  and  one  twenty-four  and  one- 
half  hours  on  September  Oth.  These  periods  of  overtime  were  separated 
by  periods  of  very  light  work. 

This  condition  of  rush  periods  preceded  and  followed  by  periods 
of  light  work  is  the  rule  in  the  canning  industry.  In  the  first  rush 
the  crops  worked  on  were  perishable — strawberries,  peas  and  cherries. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  last  rush.  On  the  day  of  the  longest  hours, 
September  Oth,  peaches,  plums,  apples,  Lima-beans,  string-beans  and 
tomatoes  were  canned.  Of  these,  the  apples  were  the  only  ones  that 
might  probably  have  been  held  over. 

INDIVIDUAL    RECORDS. 

The  individual  records  of  three  women  were  obtained  at  this  fac- 
tory. These  records  show  the  same  condition.  The  capping  girl  usually 
works  as  long  as  the  actual  canning  of  the  product  takes  place.  She  usu- 
ally arrives  at  the  opening  of  the  factory  in  the  morning  and  stays  until 
the  last  can  is  capped  and  ready  for  cooking.  She  worked  overtime 
from  the  22nd  of  June  to  the  8th  of  July.  For  three  consecutive  weeks 
she  worked  sixty-one  hours,  eighty-four  hours,  sixty-four  and  one-half 
hours.  This  was  followed  by  a  period  of  light  work  for  six  weeks 
and  then  by  a  period  of  overtime  for  five  weeks,  beginning  on  August 
21st  and  lasting  until  September  2:>rd.  During  these  five  weeks  she 
worked  respectively  seventy-three  hours,  seventy-four  hours,  eighty- 
four  and  one-half  hours,  eighty-two  and  one-half  hours  and  sixty-four 
hours.  This  again  was  followed  by  a  period  of  light  work.  Excessive 
as  these  totals  may  appear,  her  average  for  the  entire  season  of  twenty 
weeks  was  only  22.4  hours. 

The  fore-ladv  worked  more  than  sixty  hours  a  week  (the  time  usually 


334 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


considered  by  canners  as  a  normal  week)  every  week  but  three  out  of 
a  total  of  twenty  weeks.  She  worked  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teen hours  between  the  3rd  of  September  and  the  9th  of  September.  Her 
average  for  the  twenty  weeks  is  78.8  hours.  These  hours  are  exces- 
sive and  cannot  but  do  injury  to  the  person  working  them.  It  is  fair 
to  assume  that  some  form  of  double  shift  might  have  been  used  so 
that  she  would  not  have  had  to  work  such  long  hours. 

She  worked  overtime  during  the  same  period  as  the  capping  girl 
did,  from  June  22nd  to  July  8th,  but  not  as  many  hours.  She  worked 
respectively  sixty  hours,  seventy  and  one-half  hours  and  sixty  and  one- 
half  hours  for  three  weeks.  On  only  six  other  days  did  she  work  more 
than  ten  hours  and  her  weekly  total  did  not  again  exceed  fifty  hours. 

The  hours  for  these  women  are  practically  the  same  for  all  of  the 
women  in  the  factory.  None  worked  as  hard  as  the  fore-lady.  Three 
or  four  may  have  worked  as  hard  as  the  capper,  but  the  hours  for 
the  majority  of  the  women  would  closely  approximate  those  of  the 
fore-lady. 

PIECE-WORK. 

The  women  who  work  on  sorting  tables  during  the  pea  season  gener- 
ally do  the  piece-work  on  succeeding  crops  afterward.  The  girls  on 
the  capping  line,  of  whom  there  are  usually  three,  seldom  do  any 
piece-work. 

Piece-workers'  hours  are  not  as  long  as  the  hours  of  those  wTho  work 
on  machinery,  for  the  reason  that  piece-workers  work  only  in  the 
preparation  of  the  products.  It  takes  from  one-half  hour  to  two  hours 
to  finish  canning  after  the  piece-workers  have  ceased  working. 

The  hardest  work  for  a  woman  is  the  work  on  the  capping  line,  particu- 
larly the  operation  of  putting  caps  on  the  cans  as  they  move  past  on  the 
conveying  chain.  They  usually  go  at  the  rate  of  sixty  a  minute.  Some- 
times this  is  speeded  up  to  eighty  or  more.  One  girl  can  cap  cans  at 
the  rate  of  sixty  a  minute.  At  Fremont  and  other  places  two  girls 
are  used  for  each  position  on  the  capping  line.  This  means  that  each 
girl  will  work  one-half  hour  and  rest  one-half  hour.  This  is  neces- 
sary since  the  strain  and  the  heat  otherwise  would  be  very  injurious. 
These  girls  are  paid  for  the  time  they  rest  as  well  as  for  the  time  they 
work. 

WOMEN'S  OCCUPATIONS. 

Women  are  employed  at  the  capping  lines,  at  piece-sorting  tables,  at 
bean  graders,  at  labeling  machines  and  at  apple  parers.  On  the  cap- 
ping line  they  cap  cans  and  inspect  them  after  they  are  soldered. 
Many  factories  use  men  in  place  of  women  as  inspectors.  They  claim 
they  cannot  use  men  for  capping  the  cans,  since  this  work  requires  ac- 
curacy and  speed.  At  the  piece-sorting  tables  women  sort  out  hard 
peas,  broken  peas  and  other  foreign  matter  as  the  peas  pass  in  front 
of  them  on  a  moving  belt.  The  work  at  the  bean  graders  is  of  the 
same  character.  The  beans  are  first  graded  and  then  are  carried  by  a 
moving  belt  past  the  women  who  sort  them.  When  women  are  em- 
ployed at  labeling  machines  they  usually  feed  cans  to  the  machine.  Men 
do  all  the  other  work.  This  is  light  work,  but  requires  standing.  The 
work  at  apple  parers  requires  standing  in  one  position  and  placing 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LRCISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  33f, 

ipples  on  tin1  plunks  jo  be  pared.  A  certain  rhythmical  motion  is 
icedcd  i'or  Ihis  work  and  cannot  be  had  sitting.  Oftentimes  men  work 
the  apple  parers.  Women  cannot  work  i'or  long  periods  on  these 
lachines. 

Resides   the  machine   work  all   the  piece-work  in  the  preparation   of 
irodncts   is   done   by   women.    Most   of   this   is   done   under   very   good 
conditions  and  the  women  sit  at  their  work. 

MACHINERY    FOR    WOMEN'S    WORK. 

Machines  have  been  devised  to  do  some  of  the  work  that  women  now 
do.  These  are  machines  i'or  placing  the  caps  on  the  solder-top  cans. 
One  factory  has  these  and  uses  them.  Superintendents  of  other  fac- 
tories say  that  these  machines  are  impractical.  In  some  places  women 
pit  cherries  by  hand,  but  there  is  a  cherry-pitting  machine  which  does 
the  work  very  acceptably,  and  faster  than  women  can  do  it. 

The  AV.  ]{..  Koach  Company  has  two  bean  snipping  machines,  one 
at  Hart  and  the  other  at  Kent  City.  Mr.  Nott,  at  Hart,  says  that  this 
machine  works  well,  but  he  says  he  does  not  use  it,  because  he  prefers 
lo  give  the  work  to  the  women.  Another  says  the  machine  works  well 
on  straight  beans,  but  fails  on  crooked  ones. 

Corn-husking  is  usually  done  by  hand.  Men  and  women  do  this. 
At  Hart  they  have  a  corn-husking  machine  which  can  husk  corn  as 
fast  as  tive  women  can  feed  it.  This  machine  also  Mr.  Nott  does  not 
use,  because,  he  says,  he  would  rather  the  women  should  have  the 
work. 

DATES    OF    TACKS. 

The  following  table  gives  the  total  pack  for  the  year  1911  of  eight 
of  the  factories  investigated  and  the  dates  between  w^liich  they  are 
usually  packed.  I  was  unable  to  obtain  the  packs  of  the  Thomas 
('aiming  Company,  at  (irancl  Kapids,  and  of  the  S.  M.  Carpp  Company, 
at  Hartford. 

PRODUCTS  DURATION   DATES 

Strawberries    June  6  to  June  30. 

Cherries    June  15  to  July  15 

Gooseberries    June  23  to  July  8 

Peas    June  20  to  July  31. 

Raspberries July  1  to  July  26. 

Lima-beans August  21  to  September  28. 

Beets July  22  to  November  15. 

Blackberries    July  21  to  July  31. 

Apples    July  27  for  early  apples  and  October 

2  for  late  apples  to  November  1. 

Plums  August  8  to  September  1. 

Peaches    August  8  to  October  11. 

String-beans July  15  to  September  1. 

Tomatoes August  26  to  October  31. 

Pears    September  1  to  September  24. 

Corn    August  17  to  October  11. 

Succotash  August  17  to  October  11. 

Pumpkin    October  19  to  December  1. 

Spinach    October  15  to  October  22. 

Sauerkraut November  21  to  December  31. 

Blueberries  July  3  to  July  29. 

These  dates  are  approximate  merely.     The  crop  may  be  earlier  or 
later  than  the  periods  given  here. 


336  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY. 

MR.  BRBMER'S  CONCLUSIONS. 

From  consideration  of  the  facts  herewith  presented,  the  canner  is 
warranted  in  asking  for  an  exemption  from  the  strict  limitation  of 
hours.  Just  how  much  that  exemption  should  be  and  how  the  law 
should  be  worded  to  be  fair  to  the  interests  of  those  looking  after  the 
welfare  of  the  workers  and  to  the  canners  is  a  difficult  problem. 

While  on  perishable  crops  the  canner  might  be  permitted  to  work 
overtime,  on  non-perishable  crops  and  during  intervals  between  rush 
seasons  no  overtime  should  be  permitted.  I  would  recommend  a  ten- 
hour  day  for  canning  factories  with  exemption  from  this  on  such  crops 
as  berries,  peas,  Lima-beans,  string-beans  and  peaches.  I  would  not 
favor,  however,  the  absolute  absence  of  restriction  on  these  crops  for  this 
opens  the  way  for  such  excessive  hours  as  women  worked  at  Pent- 
water. 

Canners  say  that  four  or  five  hours  overtime  during  the  rush  sea- 
son is  sufficient  to  take  care  of  their  surplus.  Some  insist  that  there 
are  times  when  they  must  work  a  good  deal  more  than  this.  If  this 
latter  is  the  case  they  should  either  be  compelled  to  employ  a  double 
crew  of  women  or  have  men  or  machines  do  the  work  the  women  would 
do.  I  think  a  fifteen-hour  day  for  these  perishable  crops  with  a  maxi- 
mum of  seventy-five  hours  a  week  would  be  fair.  The  law  should  pro- 
tect women  from  working  seventeen,  eighteen,  up  to  twenty-four  hours 
a  day  at  any  time.  A  clay's  rest  following  such  long  hours  is  not 
sufficient  to  repair  the  injury  done.  A  limitation  as  to  the  number 
of  hours  that  can  be  worked  or  one  that  sets  a  definite  time  after 
which  no  woman  shall  work  would  protect  her  from  this  injury.  The 
law  should  be  very  explicit  regarding  the  crops  on  which  overtime  is 
permitted.  Overtime  should  not  be  permitted  on  labeling  and  any 
other  form  of  work,  even  though  it  seems  to  the  canner  to  be  necessary 
in  order  to  get  his  shipment  out  on  time. 


APPENDIX  J. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  FOR  WOMEN.  * 


Four  states  in  this  country  have  now  established  a  minimum  wage 
for  women  and  minors.  These  four  states  are  Washington,  Oregon, 
Minnesota  and  Massachusetts.  The  wage  rate  of  Minnesota  was  an- 
nounced only  three  days  ago,  and  we  are  not  yet  certain  as  to  whether 
it  will  be  obeyed,  or  whether  the  courts  will, sustain  the  ruling  which 
lias  been  made.  It  seems  probable  that  they  will,  because  this  rate  has 
been  based  upon  exceedingly  careful  and  painstaking  study  of  the  cost 
of  living  of  women  and  detached  minors  in  the  state  of  Washington, 
and  because  of  the  other  three  rates  which  have  been  established.  In 
Washington,  where  the  rule  was  declared  fifteen  months  ago,  the  com- 
mission established  a  rate  of  $10  a  week  for  all  employments  of 
women,  except  domestic  service.  They  say  the  cost  of  living  in  Wash- 
ington should  not  be  less  for  a  woman  employed  in  a  factory  than  in 
a  store,  because  they  are  supposed  to  establish  the  minimum  rate,  and 
it  could  not  be  realized  if  there  was  a  difference  between  the  factory 
and  the  store. 

In  Oregon  they  were  earlier  in  establishing  the  rate.  In  Portland 
they  established  the  rates  fourteen  months  ago  and  fixed  the  rate  of 
$8.64  for  adult  women  over  eighteen  years  of  age  working  in  the  factories 
and  $9.25  for  women  over  eighteen  years  of  age  working  in  the  stores  in 
Portland ;  and  for  every  factory  outside  of  Portland,  $8.50.  I  am  not 
quite  certain  about  the  stores  outside  the  city  of  Portland. 

SUSTAINED  BY  SUPREME  COURT. 

The  Supreme  Court  of  Oregon  sustained  the  rulings  as  reasonable 
and  the  ruling  of  $8.G4  for  fifty  hours,  no  day  to  end  later  than  eight 
o'clock  in  the  evening.  The  fight  commenced  in  a  paper  box  factory.  The 
maker  of  these  boxes  applied  for  an  injunction  and  the  court  refused 
to  enjoin.  The  paper  box  manufacturer  was  sued  and  the  statute  was 
upheld  by  the  courts  in  every  instance  and  was  upheld  unanimously  by 
the  Supreme  Court.  It  is  now  in  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  and 
was  placed  on  the  calendar  for  the  October  term.  We  expected  to 
have  a  hearing  yesterday  and  hope  to  have  a  decision  by  to-night,  as 
the  case  may  have  been  argued. 

Mr.  Lewis  Brandeis,  whose  priceless  services  we  have  secured  to  help 

*As  stenofrraphically  reported  for  the  conference  at  the  Michigan  Conference  of  Charities  and  Cor- 
rections in  Grand  Rapids,  October  28,  1914. 

43 


338  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

us  when  the  statute  is  attacked,  is  in  Washington  for  the  purpose  of 
arguing  the  case  before  the  Supreme  Court.  We  have  filed  a  brief  of 
many  hundred  pages  in  defense  of  this  statute.  We  are  entirely  con- 
fident that  the  decision  will  be  favorable,  based  upon  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Brandeis  has  handled  analogous  statutes  for  the  last  six  years  where 
a  number  of  cases  have  arisen  and  with  an  unbroken  record  of  success. 
The  Supreme  Court  of  New  York  reversed  its  own  unfavorable  de- 
cision, Washington  reversed  its  unfavorable  decision,  and  the  United 
States  Supreme  Court  has  spoken  twice  regarding  the  working  hours 
of  women.  Where  employers  reduced  the  hours  of  work,  thereby  cut- 
ting their  income  down,  women  are  not  insisting  upon  the  enforcement 
of  the  law;  that  provides  for  a  little  more  sleep  and  less  food;  so  we 
are  hoping  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  will  at  this  session  of 
the  court  sustain  the  Oregon  law. 

PROGRESS    IN    THE    EAST. 

In  the  East  we  have  not  been  going  forward  as  rapidly  as  in  the 
West.  Massachusetts  began  first,  but  Massachusetts  is  always  con- 
servative in  movements  of  this  kind.  They  began  first  with  a  provision 
that  there  should  be  an  investigation  of  the  subject  of  minimum  wage. 
They  appointed  an  unpaid  commission  of  men  and  women,  but  they 
were  left  without  money  with  which  to  do  anything.  A  very  public- 
spirited  woman  in  Boston  offered  her  house  for  headquarters. 

The  investigation  was  a  thorough  one,  and  it  caused  considerable 
astonishment  when  it  was  ascertained  that  a  woman  working  in  Bos- 
ton, working  regularly,  and  living  alone,  received  only  |5  a  week  for  her 
work,  when  a  most  careful  investigation  showed  that  the  cost  of  living 
in  Boston  for  a  woman  in  continuous  health,  with  frugal  comforts,  was 
|8  a  week. 

The  result  of  that  report  published  at  that  time  was  the  creation 
of  a  permanent  commission  giving  very  wide  powers  of  search  into  the 
cost  of  living,  but  there  was  no  penalty  attached  to  force  any  one  to 
abide  by  the  decisions  of  this  commission.  However,  they  went  to 
work.  The  law  provided  that  the  rulings  of  the  commission  must  be 
made  not  only  in  view  of  the  cost  of  living  and  health  of  the  workers, 
but  also  into  the  conditions  peculiar  to  the  industry  that  is  under  in- 
vestigation. They  investigated  the  industry  of  making  brushes,  in 
which  there  were  less  than  2,000  men,  women  and  children  employed, 
and  in  the  larger  industry  of  candy  making.  They  made  a  rate  of 
fifteen  and  one-half  cents  an  hour,  and  ruled  that  no  more  people  should 
be  on  the  pay  roll  than  can  be  employed  continuously.  In  many  cases 
there  were  found  to  be  as  many  as  three  times  the  number  of  people 
on  the  pay  roll  as  could  be  employed  regularly.  This  rate  only  applied 
to  July  15th,  and  that  no  more  women  could  be  kept  on  the  pay  roll 
than  could  be  given  a  reasonable  amount  of  employment,  and  that  after 
July  1st  the  rate  would  be  raised  to  seventeen  and  one-half  and  eighteen 
and  one-half  cents  an  hour,  which  rates  would  be  recommended  by  the 
commission. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  339 

I:.MI'I.OYI:I:S  A<;UI:I:  TO  oitnv  TIIK  LAW. 

\ 

In  the  course  of  the  investigation  the  manufacturers  learned  a  great 
deal  about  eaeli  other.  They  had  no  organization  and  every  man  was 
a  law  nn to  himself.  In  the  course  of  the  investigation  they  were  brought 
together  and  individually  they  all  agreed  to  pay  this  rate.  It  remains 
to  he  seen  whether  they  will  live  up  to  their  promise.  It  is  the  first 
time  in  the  history  of  labor  that  the  law  was  effectually  worked  out 
without  the  penally  clause. 

PUBLICITY. 

When  the  commission  was  formed  it  was  made  mandatory  that  four 
representative  papers  in  every  county  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts 
should  publish  the  names  of  the  manufacturers  who  would  not  agree 
to  abide  by  the  findings  of  the  commission.  That  would  have  ruined 
the  commission;  it  would  have  killed  any  appropriation  they  were  apt 
to  get  from  the  legislature  and  it  would  have  interested  very  few 
people  in  the  many  counties.  This  has  been  amended,  and  we  have 
now  instead,  publicity  discretion  given  to  the  commission  to  publish 
the  names  of  manufacturers  who  refuse  or  fail  to  obey  the  rulings  of 
the  commission. 

There  is  one  strange  provision  in  this  law,  and  that  is  that  any  one 
who  dismisses  an  employe  for  giving  evidence  before  the  commission 
will  be  subjected  to  an  exceedingly  heavy  fine.  No  employer  who  dis- 
misses an  employe  would  give  that  as  a  reason,  but  rather  would  give 
the  excuse  that  they  were  slow,  or  late  or  a  thousand  and  one  other 
reasons  rather  than  the  one  with  the  penalty  attached. 

SOCIAL   IMPORTANCE  OF   WAGES  OF   HEAD   OF   FAMILY. 

We  believe  in  New  York  that  we  are  going  to  get  a  better  law  than 
any  law  now  in  force.  Besides  these  four  states  which  have  estab- 
lished a  minimum  rate— ^Washington,  Oregon,  Minnesota  and  Massa- 
chusetts— seven  other  states  have  appointed  a  commission  of  inquiry. 
Michigan,  Nebraska,  Iowa,  California.  Colorado,  New  York  and  Indiana 
have  commissions  of  inquiry.  New  York  for  three  years  has  had  the  fac- 
tory investigating  commission,  which  has  been  a  wonderfully  helpful 
commission.  It  has  immeasurably  improved  our  labor  code,  and  we  re- 
gard it  with  the  deepest  gratitude.  This  commission  has  not  contented 
itself  with  investigating  the  cost  of  living  of  women  and  minors,  but 
it  believes  that  the  wages  of  the  heads  of  families  are  enormously  of 
more  social  importance  than  the  wages  paid  detached  women  and  minors, 
and  our  commission  has  been  investigating  cost  of  the  living  of  men, 
as  well  as  women  and  children,  and  its  report  will  be  issued  about  the 
middle  of  January.  Our  hope  is  that  we  may  follow  the  action  of 
Ohio.  When  Ohio  changed  its  constitution,  two  years  ago,  it  put  into 
its  constitution  by  the  largest  vote  given  to  any  amendment,  a  pro- 
vision for  regulating  hours  of  labor  and  wage  rates. 


340  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

WAG'E    RATES    FOR    MEN. 

In  England  more  men  are  under  the  wage  board.  The  mining  in- 
dustry is  under  a  wage  board,  and  in  Australia  its  whole  system  of 
industry  is  under  wage  boards.  Sheep  shearers,  railway  employes  and 
every  one  outside  of  those  employed  in  domestic  service  are  subject  to 
this  kind  of  legislation.  We  have  been  afraid  to  attempt  to  include 
men  under  the  wage  rates  in  this  country  for  fear  of  the  constitution 
of  the  United  States,  but  have  thought  it  wiser  to  proceed  state  by 
state  and  get  the  opinion  of  the  courts  in  the  different  states.  We  can- 
not include  men  until  from  our  own  knowledge  we  have  learned  what 
the  exact  cost  of  living  really  is. 

This  great  National  conference  has  been  going  on  for  47  years  with- 
out ever  finding  out  the  exact  cost  of  living.  We  have  been  dealing  out 
money  for  people  to  live  on  without  knowing  how  much  it  costs  to 
live  in  any  systematic  or  scientific  way.  The  result  has  been  that  the 
poor  have  suffered,  children  have  been  demoralized,  have  been  sent  to 
institutions  without  the  fact  being  known  that  it  would  cost  less  for 
the  mothers  to  keep  them,  and  it  has  taken  47  years  to  find  out  how 
much  it  costs  for  people  to  live,  what  industry  could  afford  to  pay 
men,  women  and  children  to  maintain  themselves  and  detached  women 
to  maintain  themselves  in  health  and  frugal  comfort,  to  use  the  words 
of  the  Oregon  statute. 

We  hope  when  the  courts  have  spoken  and  we  have  this  matter  under 
control  as  it  is  controlled  in  Australia  and  England  we  can  do  away 
with  this  enormous  charity  which  has  been  kept  up  by  people  of  large 
means  partly  to  amuse  themselves. 

THREE   PROCESSIONS    OF    YOUNG    WOMEN. 

In  the  city  of  New  York  the  case  of  insufficient  wages  paid  to  women 
has  brought  about  three  gigantic  processions  of  young  people  eternally 
headed  toward  charity.  There  are  processions  of  young  people  who 
are  tubercular.  Every  sanatorium  now  has  a  large  waiting  list.  There 
are  in  New  York  city,  county  and  state  private  sanatoria  and  otherwise 
for  the  care  of  tuberculous  young  girls.  We  have  a  series  of  institutions 
carried  on  by  private  individuals  for  the  express  purpose  of  building  up 
3roung  working  girls,  a  frightful  travesty  on  American  industry  that  we 
should  have  to  have  repair  shops  to  build  up  young  people  who  can- 
not do  the  w^ork  required  of  them  and  keep  them  in  health  in  the  strong- 
est years  of  their  lives.  Every  institution  is  full,  every  institution  has 
a  waiting  list.  A  new  institution  was  opened  on  Staten  Island  recently 
holding  2,500.  Two  thousand  five  hundred  were  placed  in  it  and  3,000 
were  left  on  the  waiting  list.  I  believe  that  kind  of  suffering  will  be 
greatly  reduced  when  minimum  wage  legislation  has  been  in  force  in 
New  York  state  for  ten  years. 

RECRUITS  FOR  INSANE  ASYLUMS. 

The  second  procession  is  one  of  young  people — immigrants  who  are 
headed  toward  the  institutions  for  melancholy  and  the  insane.  In  our 
large  hospitals  we  have  wards  for  young  people  who  could  not  literally 
keep  body  and  soul  together  under  the  terms  industry  imposes.  One 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  341 


the  nurses  iu  one  of  these  large  institutions,  and  the  nurses  are  very 
intelligent  women,  reported  that  year  after  year  the  over-crowding  is 
heroin  ing  greater. 

Cases  of  insanity  and  melancholy  increases  from  year  to  year  in  spite 
of  our  night  courts  and  associations  for  taking  care  of  young  women; 
in  spite  of  our  commission  of  corrections  and  charities.  The  procession 
of  young  working  girls  on  the  streets  of  New  York,  who  have  honestly 
attended  school -up  to  the  age  of  fourteen  years,  who  have  gone  out 
into  industry  and  failed  to  make  good,  and  who  have  forever  abandoned 
the  idea  that  they  can  make  a  living,  is  larger  to-night  than  it  has 
ever  been.  It  grows  and  grows,  and  we  believe  that  this  procession  will 
be  greatly  reduced  when  the  people  know  what  it  costs  year  after  year 
to  live,  as  the  Oregon  law  says,  "In  continuous  health  and  frugal  corn- 
fort." 


DISCUSSION  ON  MINIMUM  WAGE. 

CI1AIIIMAN:  Some  of  the  members  of  the  Michigan  Minimum  Wage 
Commission  are  present,  and  we  would  be  glad  if  they  would  take  part 
in  the  discussion,  giving  us  information  in  detal  about  the  conditions 
the}'  have  found. 

MR.  GRENELL,  Chairman  of  the  Minimum  Wage  Commission:  Mr. 
Walker,  of  the  Commission,  will  represent  the  Commission  in  the  dis- 
cussion. 

MR.  AVALKER:  I  might  say  a  word  or  two — perhaps  just  a  word  with 
regard  to  the  history  of  the  Michigan  Commission  appointed  to  inquire 
into  a  minimum  wage  rate  for  women.  We  were  appointed  a  little  more 
than  a  year  ago  under  an  act  of  the  last  Legislature  requiring  the  Gov- 
ernor to  appoint  a  commission  of  three,  who  should  inquire  into  the 
condition  of  wage-earning  women  of  the  State  of  Michigan  in  relation  to 
conditions  and  employment,  the  wages  paid,  whether  they  were  sufficient 
to  support  them  in  health,  and  report  to  the  next  Legislature  its  findings 
as  to  the  necessity  for  a  minimum  wage  for  women  in  Michigan.  The 
Commissioners  receive  no  pay,  but  a  salary  is  paid  to  the  Secretary  and 
to  the  field  workers  or  investigators.  It  is  a  non-salaried  Commission. 

Much  statistical  information  has  been  gathered  from  employers  and 
from  women  employes.  We  have  a  large  amount  of  data  already  com- 
piled at  Lansing  for  the  purpose  of  making  records  and  furnishing  tables 
which  we  hope  will  be  helpful. 

A    COMPLICATED    PROBLEM. 

The  depth  of  the  problem  is  growing  upon  the  members  of  the  Com- 
mission— the  importance  of  it  to  employer  and  employe,  and  to  the 
State  at  large.  It  involves  not  only  the  question  of  morals  and  living- 
wage,  Iml  it  involves  also  the  question  of  economic  law,  at  least  it  is 
supposed  to  do  so.  Some  say  that  the  provision  of  economic  law  is  regu- 
lated by  supply  and  demand  in  the  labor  market  and  the  price  to  be 
determined  by  competition.  Others  think  a  minimum  wage  Is  practical 
and  desirable.  It  is  said  that  the  labor  of  women  is  a  commodity,  and 


342  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

that  the  price  is  regulated  as  is  the  price  of  any  other  commodity,  and 
that  when  we  talk  about  a  living  wage  we  involve  a  problem  for  depart- 
ments of  economics  and  might  seriously  retard  the  development  of 
trade  and  the  carrying  on  of  business.  I  am  simply  stating  this  to  show 
the  possible  questions  involved.  I  think,  however,  if  I  may  say  one  more 
word  in  the  matter,  the  question  which  impresses  us  more  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  minimum  rate  wage  is  the  question  of  efficiency  of  the 
employe. 

THE     MATTER     OF     EFFICIENCY. 

It  will  be  exceedingly  difficult  to  adopt  a  minimum  rate  law  which 
amounts  to  any  advance  in  wages  without  the  women  and  girls  are 
going  to  become  efficient  girls  and  women,  and  able  to  give  a  greater 
return  to  their  employers.  What  is  the  public  going  to  do  about  train- 
ing for  efficiency?  What  are  the  public  schools  doing?  What  are  the 
employers  doing  in  training  for  efficiency?  And  if  the  minimum  wage 
rate  goes  into  effect  a  large  number  of  employes  will  be  discharged 
because  they  cannot  earn  for  their  employer  that  minimum  wage.  There 
is  no  law  which  will  compel  them  to  keep  inefficient  workers.  What  will 
society  do  for  them? 

I  think  where  a  minimum  wage  is  adopted  in  a  state,  it  is  the  duty 
of  the  state  and  the  public  schools  to  see  that  every  opportunity  is 
given  for  increased  efficiency  for  girls  and  women  who  are  to  become 
wage-earners  who  can  return  to  their  employers  an  amount  sufficient 
to  permit  a  living  wage,  and  a  minimum  wage  can  do  that. 

AIDS  IN  IMPROVING  THE  CONDITION   OF  THE  DEFECTIVE. 

MBS.  KELLEY:  The  accumulative  experience  of  Australia  and 
England  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  It  indicates  two  things  which 
are  very  important  in  the  enactment  of  a  minimum  wage  laAv.  In  in- 
dustry, minimum  wage  laws  are  checking  permanently  the  employment 
of  mentally  defective  people  who  ought  not  to  be  there.  This  law  is 
putting  the  defectives  where  they  can  get  proper  care  and  treatment. 

Secondly,  it  is  found  that  there  are  a  certain  number  of  people  who 
are  physically  defective.  There  are  near-sighted  people  and  convales- 
cents of  various  kinds. 

The  number  of  people  a  factory  is  allowed  to  employ  is  a  subject 
that  has  to  be  carefully  worked  out,  otherwise  the  candy  maker  and  the 
paper  box  maker  cannot  meet  the  rate.  A  majority  of  girls  employed 
are  only  working  perfunctorily  until  they  marry,  and  they  are  doing 
their  work  without  that  kind  of  zeal  that  men  develop  who  are  going 
to  stay  all  their  lives  in  trade.  For  these  girls  it  is  no  kindness  to 
let  them  drag  along  in  this  perfunctory  way  and  if  a  minimum  wage 
was  adopted  this  girl  would  receive  a  stimulus  to  work.  No  employer 
will  keep  them  if  they  cannot  earn  more  than  |2  or  |4  a  week. 

We  have  just  finished  a  canvass  of  the  wages  in  New  Orleans,  and  it 
was  found  that  one-third  of  the  girls  received  only  |4  or  less,  when 
they  are  paying  f  10  in  Washington  or  |J).25  or  $S.C4  in  Oregon  or  #7.75 
in  the  brush  industry  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts. 

The    experience   of    Australia   and    England    in    the    last    four   years 


MINIMUM   WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  343 

show  that  it  will  place  in  the  category  of  charity  tbe  mentally  defective 
people  and  will  reduce  the  number  of  employes  in  factories  who  are 
in  some  measure  physically  defective  and  it  has  made  the  employes 
learn  to  be  more  efficient,  for  a  man  cannot  afford  to  pay  for  efficiency 
unless  he  receives  it,  and  the  worker  has  got  to  learn  how  or  he  will 
the  work  to  some  one  else. 


APPENDIX  K. 

THE  NEED  FOK  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION. 


(From  the  report  of  the  United  States  Commission  on  National  Aid  to 
Vocational  Education,  as  printed  in  Public  Document  No.  1004.) 

The  commission  recognizes  at  the  outset  that  the  term  "vocational 
education"  is  employed  in  current  discussion  to  describe  a  wide  variety 
of  schools  and  training.  For  the  purpose  of  this  report,  however,  its  use 
will  be  confined  to  that  kind  of  practical  education  which  the  commis- 
sion feels  has  been  largely  neglected  up  to  the  present  time,  and  which 
most  urgently  needs  encouragement,  namely,  that  which  prepares  boys 
and  girls  for  useful  employment.  In  thus  limiting  the  use  of  the  term  in 
its  own  work,  the  commission  disclaims  all  intention  of  attempting  to 
define  the  scope  of  vocational  education  as  a  whole,  or  of  restricting  its 
meaning  for  ordinary  usage.  It  is  clearly  recognized  not  only  that  a 
stronger  vocational  element  is  needed  in  general  education  but  that  no 
vocational  school  is  worthy  the  name  which  fails  to  give  a  considerable 
amount  of  general  education  along  with  special  preparation  for  a  voca- 
tion. The  purpose  of  restricting  the  term  in  this  report  is  entirely  that 
of  securing  clearness  in  the  presentation  of  the  findings  and  recommen- 
dations of  the  commission. 

For  the  reasons  hereinafter  given,  the  Commission  is  strongly  of  the 
opinion  that  the  kind  of  vocational  education  which  is  most  needed  at 
the  present  time  is  that  which  is  designed  to  prepare  workers  for  the  more 
common  occupations  in  which  the  great  mass  of  our  people  find  useful 
employment.  Vocational  training,  to  be  most  effective  and  thorough- 
going, should  be  restricted  to  persons  over  14  years  of  age  who  have  laid 
the  foundation  of  a  general  education  in  the  elementary  school.  Because 
of  the  kind  of  workers  to  be  reached  and  the  character  of  instruction  to 
be  given  this  vocational  education  should  be  of  less  than  college  grade. 
The  states,  aided  in  part  by  the  National  Government,  have  already  given 
substantial  encouragement  to  and  offered  fairly  adequate  opportunities 
for  training  in  the  professions,  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  for  leader- 
ship in  commercial  and  industrial  activities.  What  we  need  now  is 
practical  education  of  secondary  grade  to  reach  the  great  body  of  our 
workers. 

Wherever  the  term  ''vocational  education"  is  used  in  this  report,  it 
will  mean,  unless  otherwise  explained,  that  form  of  education  whose 
controlling  purpose  is  to  give  training  of  a  secondary  grade  to  persons 
over  14  years  of  age  for  increased  efficiency  in  useful  employment  in  the 
trades  and  industries,  in  agriculture,  in  commerce  and  commercial  pur- 
suits, and  in  callings  based  upon  a  knowledge  of  home  economics.  The 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  .'Mf, 

occupations  included  under  these  are  almost  endless  in  number  and  va- 
riety. As  illustrative  of  their  general  character,  a  few  of  the  common 
pursuits  may  be  noted: 

In  the  trades  and  industries:  The  work  of  the  carpenter,  the  mason,  the  baker, 
the  stonecutter,  the  electrician,  the  plumber,  the  machinist,  the  toolmaker,  the  en- 
gineer, the  miner,  the  painter,  the  typesetter,  the  linotype  operator,  the  shoe  cutter 
and  laster,  the  tailor,  the  garment  maker,  the  straw-hat  maker,  the  weaver,  the 
glove  maker. 

In  agriculture:  The  work  of  general  farming,  orcharding,  dairying,  poultry 
raising,  truck  gardening,  horticulture,  bee  culture,  and  stock  raising. 

In  commerce  and  commercial  pursuits:  The  work  of  the  bookkeeper,  the  clerk, 
the  stenographer,  the  typist,  the  auditor,  and  the  accountant. 

In  home  economics:  The  work  of  the  dietitian,  cook  and  housemaid,  institution 
manager,  and  household  decorator. 

SIZE  OF  THE   PROBLEM. 

The  immediate  need  of  providing  vocational  education  for  this  coun- 
try is  well  illustrated  by  the  size  of  the  problem  before  us. 

According  to  the  census  of  1010,  there  Avere  12,050,203  persons  in  the 
United  States,  both  male  and  female,  engaged  in  agriculture.  While 
it  is  impossible  to  secure  accurate  figures,  it  is  probable  that  less  than 
1  per  cent  of  these  have  had  adequate  preparation  for  farming.  This 
means  that  there  are  over  12,000,000  people  engaged  in  agriculture  in 
this  country  who  are  not  trained  to  deal  with  the  soil  in  such  a  way  as 
to  make  it  produce,  through  scientific  methods,  what  it  should  yield  in 
order  to  sustain  the  present  and  future  life  of  this  Nation. 

Engaged  in  manufacturing  and  mechanical  pursuits  and  allied  indus 
tries  there  were  14,201,376.  It  is  equally  correct  to  say  that  not  one 
out  of  every  hundred  of  these  workers  have  had,  or  are  having  at  the 
present  time,  any  adequate  chance  to  secure  training. 

The  American  people  have  hardly  begun  the  work  of  providing  for 
the  practical  education  of  these  millions  of  our  wage-workers.  In  this 
whole  country  there  are  fewer  trade  schools  than  are  to  be  found  in  the 
little  German  kingdom  of  Bavaria,  with  a  population  not  much  greater 
than  that  of  New  York  city.  There  are  more  workers  being  trained  at 
public  expense  in  the  city  of  Munich  alone  than  in  all  the  larger  cities 
of  the  United  Stales,  representing  a  population  of  more  than  12,000,- 
000.  It  is  substantially  true  that  practically  every  German  citizen  who 
could  profit  by  it  may  receive  vocational  training  for  his  life  work  in 
the  schools  and  classes  supported  out  of  the  public  treasury.  Since 
commercial  prosperity  depends  largely  upon  the  skill  and  well-being  of 
our  workers,  the  outlook  for  American  commerce,  in  competition  with 
that  of  our  German  neighbors,  is  under  present  conditions  not  very 
promising. 

To  provide  in  our  educational  system  some  opportunity  for  our  work- 
ers to  improve  their  efficiency  and  thereby  better  their  own  and  the  com- 
munities' well-being,  is  a  social  obligation  which  can  not  be  avoided  with 
impunity.  But,  disregarding  for  the  moment  this  obligation,  even  to  re- 
place the  annual  mortality  and  superannuation  of  our  great  army  of 
workers,  each  year  1,000,000  young  people  are  required.  Simply  to  main- 
tain the  ranks  of  our  working  population,  therefore,  the  immediate  prob- 
lem of  vocational  education  is  the  problem  of  equipping  for  the  success 


346  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

fnl  pursuit  of  some  useful  trade  or  occupation  the  youths  who  go  to 
work  at  the  rate  of  more  than  1,000,000  a  year. 

If  it  be  assumed  that  three  years'  special  training  are  required  by 
each  one  to  prepare  for  a  calling,  our  vocational  schools  must  provide 
for  the  continuous  instruction  of  more  than  3,000,000  persons,  without 
taking  into  account  the  work  which  should  be  done  in  behalf  of  the  mil- 
lions more  of  untrained  adult  workers  already  on  the  farm  and  in  the 
shop  or  making  any  allowance  for  the  growth  of  our  population  or  of 
our  industries.  For  this  great  task  the  facilities  and  resources  of  our 
public  schools  are  entirely  inadequate  without  the  help  of  the  larger 
resources  of  the  National  Government. 

THERE   IS   A  CRYING   ECONOMIC   NEED  FOR  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION. 

The  two  great  assets  of  a  nation  which  enter  into  the  production  of 
wealth,  whether  agricultural  or  industrial,  are  natural  resources  and 
human  labor.  The  conservation  and  full  utilization  of  both  of  these  de- 
pends upon  vocational  training. 

1.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  Is  KEQUIRED  TO  CONSERVE  AND  DEVELOP  OUR 
NATURAL  RESOURCES. — As  the  asset  of  natural  resources  lessens  or  falls 
in  the  scale,  the  asset  of  human  labor  rises  in  importance.  American 
agriculture  has  prospered  in  the  past  because  it  rested  upon  the  basis  of 
the  richest  soil  in  the  world — a  fertility  which,  with  the  usual  prodi- 
gality of  this  people,  has  been  treated  as  if  it  were  inexhaustible.  This 
favorable  condition  itself  has  delayed  for  a  century  too  long  in  the 
United  States  the  co-operation  of  the  National  Government  with  the 
states  in  the  systematic  training  of  the  American  farmer.  Only  thorough- 
going agricultural  education,  making  the  farmer  an  intelligent  user  of 
the  natural  wealth  with  which  Providence  has  blessed  us  as  a  people, 
can  restore  and  preserve  our  boasted  agricultural  supremacy. 

A  virgin  fertility  of  soil  is  no  longer  available  for  unintelligent  ex- 
ploitation over  any  considerable  area  in  the  United  States,  and  in  the 
future  a  permanent  and  increasingly  productive  and  profitable  agricul- 
ture can  be  achieved  throughout  the  country  only  by  scientific  culture. 
In  agriculture,  science  has  advanced  far  beyond  practice,  and  it  has  be- 
come essential  for  the  welfare  of  our  increasing  population  that  the 
farmer  be  made  an  expert.  For  intelligent  farming  our  soils  are  an  in- 
exhaustible source  of  wealth. 

The  American  manufacturer  has  prospered  in  the  past  because  of  four 
factors : 

(1)  The  abundance  and  cheapness  of  raw  material; 

(2)  The  inventive  genius  of  this  people; 

(3)  Organizing  ability  leading  to  production  on  a  large  scale; 

(4)  A  great  body  of  cheap  foreign  labor  of  the  first  generation  work 
ing  its  way  upward  in  our  midst  to  civic  and  industrial  worth. 

With  the  opening  of  new  sources  of  supply  in  foreign  countries  and 
with  the  gradual  depletion  of  our  own  virgin  resources  in  many  lines, 
our  advantage  from  an  abundance  and  cheapness  of  raw  material,  at 
least  so  far  as  regards  commercial  competition,  is  a  decreasing  one.  We 
can  not  continue  to  draw  indefinitely  on  Europe  for  cheap  labor,  nor 
will  cheap  labor  in  the  immediate  future  meet  the  urgent  need  in  Amer- 
ican industry  for  the  more  intelligent  service  necessary  if  we  are  to 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  347 

satisfy  (lie  rising  demand  for  a  hotter  product  from  our  domestic  as  well 
as  our  foreign  markets.  In  the  proportion  that  our  resource  factor  fails 
\\c  must  increase  the  efficiency  of  human  labor  in  the  shop  as  well  as 
on  the  farm. 

The  conservation  and  full  utilization  of  our  natural  resources  can  be 
accomplished  only  in  proportion  as  we  train  those  who  handle  them. 
Public  discussion  and  legislative  fiat  must  be  supplemented  by  an  agri- 
cultural education  which  will  teach  the  farmer  how  to  make  the  soil 
yield  an  abundance  and  at  the  same  time  leave  it  rejuvenated,  and  by 
an  industrial  education  which  will  teach  our  workers  in  shops  and 
factories  how  to  use  material  without  waste,  and  how  to  turn,  the  products 
of  our  forests  and  our  mines  into  articles  of  higher  and  still  higher 
value. 

2.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  PREVENT  WASTE  OF  HUMAN 
LAP.OR. — The  greatest  treasure  \vhich  this  country  holds  to-day  is  the 
undeveloped  skill  and  vocational  possibilities,  not  only  of  the  millions 
of  our  workers  everywhere,  but  of  the  great  army  of  our  school  chil- 
dren, hundreds  of  thousands  of  whom  pass  annually  from  the  doors  of 
our  elementary  schools  to  serve  in  the  shop,  the  field  and  the  office.  So 
far  we  have  given  but  little  attention  to  the  conservation  of  our  human 
resources.1 

Vocational  education  will  reduce  to  a  minimum  the  waste  of  labor 
power,  the  most  destructive  form  of  extravagance  of  which  a  people 
can  be  guilty. 

In  any  community  there  are  always  to  be  found  three  characteristic 
forms  of  waste  labor  power: 

(1)  The  army  of  the  unemployed  or  the  involuntary  idle. 

(2)  The  imperfectly  employed  or  the  untrained. 

(3)  The  improperly  employed,  the  acquisitively  rather  than  the  pro- 
ductively employed. 

It  is  sufficiently  obvious  that  the  waste  of  labor  by  imperfect  or  by 
improper  employment  can  be  largely  avoided  by  vocational  training  in 
the  elements  of  useful  crafts.  Such  training  is,  moreover,  the  most  cer- 
taiu  remedy  for  unemployment.  As  bearing  upon  this  point  and  upon 
the  general  advantage  of  vocational  training,  the  following  statement 
may  be  quoted: 

If  by  means  of  training  you  can  transfer  unskilled  labor  into  the  scarcer  and 
more  needed  work  of  management,  you  provide  a  demand  for  the  army  of  unem- 
ployed and  increase  the  productive  power  of  the  community.  Upon  the  distribution 
of  labor  power  upward  from  the  unskilled  and  overcrowded  occupations  toward  and 
into  remunerative  occupations  depends  more  than  anything  else  the  expansion  of 
our  industries.  It  takes  no  miracle  to  see  it;  it  requires  only  education. - 

.">.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  PROVIDE  A  SUPPLEMENT  TO  AP- 
PRENTICESHIP. — The  American  industrial  worker,  with  all  his  native 
qualities,  is,  relatively  speaking,  becoming  more  unskilled.  Since  the 
schools  have  as  yet  assumed  no  responsibility  for  those  who  go  to  work, 

»"  In  the  present  conservation  movement  it  is  highly  important  that  we  realize  two  things:  (1)  That 
our  most  valuable  resources  are  our  own  people;  and  (2)  that  we  are  wasting  people  more  than  we  are 
wasting  anything  else.  If  we  forget  either  of  these  things,  we  shall  probably  find  ourselves  trying 
to  save  at  the  spigot  while  we  are  wasting  at  the  bunghole."  (Prof.  Carver,  as  quoted  in  Vocational 
Education  in  Europe.  Report  to  the  Commercial  Club  of  Chicago  by  Edwin  G.  Cooley,  1912,  p.  27.) 

2Prof.  Carver,  as  quoted  in  Vocational  Education  in  Europe.  Report  to  the  Commercial  Club  of 
Chicago  by  Edwin  G.  Cooley,  1912,  p.  28. 


348  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

the  youth  must  get  the  rest  of  his  education  in  an  industrial  organiza- 
tion, which  no  longer  is  able  or  willing  to  train  its  own  workers.  Large- 
scale  production,  extreme  division  of  labor,  and  the  all-conquering  march 
of  the  machine,  have  practically  driven  out  the  apprenticeship  system 
through  which,  in  a  simpler  age,  young  helpers  were  taught  not  simply 
the  technique  of  some  single  process,  but  the  "arts  and  mysteries  of 
a  craft.-'  The  journeyman  and  artisan  have  given  way  to  an  army  of 
machine  workers,  performing  over  and  over  one  small  process  at  one 
machine,  turning  out  one  small  part  of  the  finished  article,  and  know- 
ing nothing  about  the  business  beyond  their  narrow  and  limited  task. 
The  age  of  science  and  invention  has  brought  in  its  wake  a  great  body 
of  knowledge,  related  to  the  work  of  the  mechanic,  and  necessary  to 
his  highest  success,  which  the  shop  can  not  give  without  the  help  of  the 
schools. 

In  the  skilled  callings  the  young  worker  seldom  gets  the  breadth  of  ex- 
perience or  the  information  which  he  must  have  in  order  to  realize 
himself,  and  he  must,  under  present  conditions,  remain  on  a  relatively 
low  level  of  skill.  Most  of  those  who  leave  school  at  the  age  of  14, 
finding  the  doors  of  the  skilled  occupations  closed  to  them,  lend  to  enter 
all  sorts  of  low-grade  skilled  and  unskilled  industries,  affording  little 
or  no  opportunity  for  better  wages  or  for  promotion  to  a  desirable  life 
work.  In  the  absence  of  a  system  of  education  which  will  follow  them 
to  these  tasks  and,  by  continued  training,  show  them  a  way  to  efficiency 
and  happiness,  the  time  which  most  of  these  children  spend  in  the 
factory  is  unprofitable,  both  to  themselves  and  to  society.  The  few 
adolescents  who  rise  to  success  as  wage-earners,  whether  by  accident, 
rule  of  thumb,  or  sheer  force  of  native  qualities,  acquire  their  skill 
and  insight  in  ways  that  are  wasteful  to  them  and  to  business. 

4.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  INCREASE  WAGE-EARNING  POWER. 
— The  practical  training  of  workmen  in  any  pursuit  brings  both  imme- 
diate and  lasting  economic  returns  in  increased  production  and  wage- 
earning  capacity.    The  returns  of  our  older  trade,  technical,  and  appren- 
ticeship schools  show  that  the  wage-earning  power  of  their  graduates 
steadily  increases  as  a  direct  result  of  their  training.  For  the  thoroughly 
trained   worker  wages   advance  from  year  to   year   with   age   and   in- 
creased capacity  with  no  fixed  limit,  and  while  the  average  increase  is 
large  the  increase  in  individual  cases  is  often  very  large. 

5.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  MEET  THE  INCREASING  DEMAND 
FOR  TRAINED  WORKMEN. — With  the  constantly  increasing  demand  upon 
our  industries  for  more  and  better  goods,  the  supply  of  trained  workers 
is,  relatively  at  least,  diminishing.     We  are  already  beginning  to  fed 
the  inevitable  economic  results  in  a  relatively  low  output,  increased  cost 
of  production,  and  stationary  or  diminishing  wages  as  measured  by  their 
purchasing  power.     The  product  of  our  factories  is  being  restricted  in 
quantity  and  quality,  if  not  actually  diminished.     High  prices  are  due 
in   part   to   inefficient   labor   and   low   profits  to   the   same   cause.      In- 
action means  the  promotion  of  poverty  and  low  standards  of  living  and 
a  general  backwardness  in  industry. 

0.     VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  OFFSET  THE   INCREASED  CO 
OF  LIVING. — With  a  farming  area  practically  stationary,  a  rapidly  in- 
creasing population,  and  an  agricultural  class  whose  ability  with  pres- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  349 

enl  mot  hods  to  meet  the  demands  for  larger  production  is  relatively 
diminishing,  our  national  appetite  lias  outgrown  both  our  national 
larder  and  our  national  pocketbook.  Population  tends  to  press  upon 
subsistence.  The  cost  of  the  necessaries  of  life  has  risen  faster  than  the 
earning  power  of  the  consumer  and  has  operated  to  reduce  the  actual 
income  of  the  wage-worker  and  make  the  struggle  for  existence  very 
hard,  not  only  to  the  common  laborer,  but  even  to  the  trade  worker 
of  small  means1.  For  millions  of  our  people  life  has  as  a  result  been 
narrowed  and  sombered. 

7.  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION  is  A  WISE  BUSINESS  INVESTMENT. — In  the 
last  analysis,  expenditure  of  money  for  vocational  education  is  a  wise 
business  investment  which  wilt  yield  larger  returns,  not  only  in  educa- 
tional and  social  betterment,  but  in  money  itself,  than  a  similar  amount 
spent  for  almost  any  other  purpose.  The  commission  recognizes  that 
boys  and  girls  can  not  be  valued  in  terms  of  dollars  and  cents,  save 
as  these  represent  returns  in  social  well-being  both  to  themselves  and 
to  society.  The  financial  argument  below  is  offered  from  that  stand- 
point alone. 

There  are  more  than  25,000,000  persons  18  years  of  age  and  over  in 
this  country  engaged  in  farming,  mining,  manufacturing  and  mechanical 
pursuits,  trade  and  transportation.1 

If  we  assume  that  a  system  of  vocational  education,  pursued  through 
the  years  of  the  past,  would  have  increased  the  wage-earning  capacity 
of  each  of  these  to  the  extent  of  10  cents  a  day,  this  would  make  an 
increase  in  wages  for  the  group  of  $2,500,000  a  day,  or  $750,000,000  a 
year,  with  all  that  this  would  mean  to  the  wealth  and  life  of  the 
Nation.  This  is  a  very  modest  estimate,  and  while  no  complete  figures 
are  available  it  is  probably  much  nearer  25  cents  a  day,  which  would 
make  a  total  increase  in  wages  of  $0,250,000  per  day  and  $1,875,000,000 
per  year. 

In  11)10  there  were  in  the  United  States  7,220,208  children  between 
the  ages  of  14  and  18  years.  It  has  been  estimated  that  the  total  cost 
of  bringing  a  child  from  birth  to  the  age  of  18  represents  an  outlay 
of  $4,000.  This  is  about  $220  per  year  and  includes  approximately  $00 
per  year  not  coming  from  the  parents,  but  contributed  by  the  State  and 
Nation.  At  present  this  great  body  of  more  than  7,000,000  youths 
represents  on  the  whole  an  untrained  army  needing  vocational  education 
to  make  it  efficient.  If  we  assume  that  it  would  require  on  the  average 
an  outlay  of  an  additional  $150  per  person  to  prepare  them  for  useful- 
ness so  that  society  might  realize  more  fully  upon  their  vocational  and 
civic  possibilities,  certainly  no  business  man  would  hesitate  a  moment  to 
expend  that  amount  in  order  to  make  his  investment  of  $4,000  secure 
and  remunerative.  It  is  even  more  shortsighted  for  the  State  and  the 
Nation  to  neglect  these  investments  since  national  success  is  dependent 
not  alone  on  returns  in  dollars  and  cents,  but  in  civic  and  social  well- 
being. 

Lei  us  assume  further  that   the  expectancy  of  lite  ahead  of  these  youths 

'The  total  engaged  in  agriculture,  mining,  manufacturing  and  mechanical  pursuits,  trade  and  trans- 
portation in  1910  was  30,585,249.  The  number  in  these  pursuits  to-day  probably  exceeds  34,000,000, 
and  even  assuming  the  same  distribution  by  age  for  these  persons  as  is  found  in  the  total  population 
in  \t-ars  of  age  and  over  the,  number  1 8  years  of  age  and  over  exceeds  27,000,000.  The  proportion  under 
18  years  is  certainly  less  for  those  gainfully  employed  than  it  is  for  the  total  population  10  years  of 
age  and  over. 


350 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


at  18  is  only  30  years.  An  increase  of  10  cents  a  day  in  wage-earning 
capacity  would  on  this  assumption  amount  to  $30  a  year,  or  $900  in 
30  years,  in  additional  wages.  An  outlay  of  $150  in  training  between 
14  and  18  years  of  age  would  thus  be  made  to  yield  a  return  six 
times  as  great.  In  five  years  the  increase  in  wages  would  cover  the 
total  cost  of  vocational  training  for  each  worker.  If  the  increase  in 
wage-earning  capacity  was  25  cents  a  day,  the  increase  in  the  wage  re- 
turn in  one  year  would  be  $75  and  in  30  years  $2,250,  an  amount  15 
times  as  great  as  the  original  outlay.  On  this  assumption  the  increased 
wage-earning  power  could  repay  the  cost  of  instruction  for  each  worker 
in  two  years. 

8.  OUR  NATIONAL  PROSPERITY  is  AT  STAKE. — We  have  become  a  great 
industrial  as  well  as  a  great  agricultural  nation.  Each  year  shows  a 
less  percentage  of  our  people  on  the  farms  and  a  greater  in  the  cities.1 


Urban 
population. 

Rural 
population. 

Percentage. 

Urban. 

Rural. 

Census  of— 
1880 

14,772,438 
22.720,223 
30,797,185 
42,623,383 

35,383,345 
40,227,491 
45,197,390 
49,348,883 

29.5 
36.1 
40.5 
46.3 

70.5 
(W.n 
59.9 
53.7 

1890  

1900  

1910  

Our  factory  population  is  growing  apace.  Our  future  as  a  nation 
will  depend  more  and  more  on  the  success  of  our  industrial  life,  as 
well  as  upon  the  volume  and  quality  of  our  agricultural  products.  It 
has  repeatedly  been  pointed  out  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when 
our  rapidly  increasing  population  will  press  hard  upon  an  improved 
agriculture  for  its  food  supply,  and  force  our  industries  to  reach  out 
over  the  entire  world  for  trade  wherewith  to  meet  the  demands  for 
labor  of  untold  millions  of  bread  winners.2 

In  volume  of  output  the  United  States  leads  the  four  great  manufac- 
turing nations  of  the  world.  More  than  a  billion  and  a  half  of  people 
outside  of  these  four  countries  are  largely  dependent  upon  them  for 
manufactured  articles.  "The  rewards  offered  in  this  world  trade  are 
beyond  comprehension.  They  are  to  be  measured  in  money,  in  intel- 
lectual advancement,  in  national  spirit,  in  heightened  civilization."3  Yet 
we  have  only  begun  to  invade  this  market,  where  we  find  our  competitor 
too  often  in  possession  of  the  field  and  strongly  entrenched  against  us. 

It  is  true  that  we  have  a  large  foreign  trade  in  manufactured  articles, 
but  of  our  exports  a  very  large  proportion  consists  of  crude  materials.4 
(lernum,  French  and  English  exports  represent  on  the  average  a  much 

'The  number  and  percentage  urban  and  rural  in  (he  total  population  of  the  United  States  is  shown 
in  the  following  table  for  the  last  four  censuses: 

2ln  1880  food  stuffs  constituted  06  per  cent  of  our  total  exports,  in  1912  only  10  per  cent.     In  1S80 
manufactured  articles  made  up  only  l.r>  per  cent  of  our  total  exports,  in  1912,  47  per  cent. 

sReport  of  the  Committee  on  Industrial  Education,  National  Manufacturers'  Association,  1 

^Of  our  exports  in  1913,  according  to  figures  published  by  our  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic 
Commerce,  7.48  per  cent  consisted  of  "foodstuffs  in  crude  condition  and  food  animals";  13.19  per  cent 
of  "foodstuffs  partly  Or  wholly  manufactured":  30.10  per  cent  of  "crude  materials  for  use  in  manu- 
facturing"; 16.84  per  cent  of  "manufacturers  for  further  use  in  manufacturing"  and  only  32.' 
cent  of  "manufactures  ready  for  consumption."  The  development  of  our  foreign  commerce  m  Die 
future  undoubtedly  depends  largely  upon  our  ability  to  increase  the  proportion,  in  our  exports,  of 
manufactures  ready  for  consumption — upon  our  ability  to  enter  the  markets  of  foreign  countries 
with  the  products  'of  the  skilled  labor  of  our  factories  and  workshops. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  351 

greater  value  in  skill  and  workmanship  than  do  those  from  our  own 
ports.  Lrss  than  one-third  of  the  volume  of  our  foreign  commerce  is 
made  up  of  manufactures  ready  for  consumption. 

A  very  large  proportion  consists  of  raw  and  semi-raw  materials  such 
as  lumber,  cotton,  meat,  coal,  oil  and  copper  bar,  to  secure  which  we 
have  robbed  our  soil  and  the  earth  beneath  our  feet  of  the  riches  we 
have  been  foolish  enough  to  regard  as  inexhaustible.  The  statistics 
of  our  foreign  commerce  show  that  the  proportion  of  these  raw  products, 
in  the  total  volume  of  our  exports,  has  been  declining  during  the  past 
three  decades  and  that  the  maintenance  and  development  of  our  foreign 
trade  is  coming  to  depend  each  year  to  a  greater  extent  upon  our  ability 
to  compete  with  foreign  nations  in  the  products  of  skilled  labor  —  upon 
our  ability  to  "sell  more  brains  and  less  material." 

The  volume  of  our  foreign  trade  has  in  the  past  depended  upon  the 
exploitation  of  a  virgin  soil  and  of  our  other  national  resources.  In 
this  crude  work  we  have  had  no  competitors.  Our  profit  has  been  the 
profit  of  the  miner  working  in  a  rich  soil.  The  volume  and  profitable- 
ness of  our  trade  in  the  future,  however,  must  depend  much  more  largely 
upon  the  relative  skill  and  efficiency  of  the  vocationally  trained  artisans 
of  England,  France  and  Germany.  Our  products  will  find  a  market  in 
foreign  countries  only  in  those  lines  of  industrial  activity  in  which  the 
labor  is  as  efficient  and  as  well  trained  as  the  labor  of  the  countries 
with  which  we  must  compete. 

The  battles  of  the  future  between  nations  will  be  fought  in  the  markets 
of  the  world.  That  nation  will  triumph,  with  all  that  its  success  means 
to  the  happiness  and  welfare  of  its  citizenship,  which  is  able  to  put  the 
greatest  amount  of  skill  and  brains  into  what  it  produces.  Our  foreign 
commerce,  and  to  some  extent  our  domestic  commerce,  are  being  threat- 
ened by  the  commercial  prestige  which  Germany  has  won,  largely  as  the 
result  of  a  policy  of  training  its  workers  begun  by  the  far-seeing  Bis- 
marck almost  half  a  century  ago. 

France  and  England,  and  even  far-off  Japan,  profiting  by  the  schools 
of  the  Fatherland,  are  now  establishing  national  systems  of  vocational 
education.  In  Germany,  within  the  next  few  years,  there  will  probably 
be  no  such  thing  as  an  untrained  man.1  In  the  United  States  probably 
not  more  than  25,000  of-  the  eleven  or  twelve  million  workers  in  manu- 
facturing and  mechanical  pursuits  have  had  an  opportunity  to  acquire 
an  adequate  training  for  their  work  in  life. 

SOCIAL    AND    EDUCATIONAL    NEED    FOR   VOCATIONAL   TRAINING    IS   EQUALLY 

I  URGENT. 

This  conclusion  is  based  on  such  considerations  as  the  following: 
1.     VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  TO  DEMOCRATIZE  THE   KDUCATION 
F  THE  COUNTRY: 
(a-}    ttij   rcr<)f/ni:iii(/   fllffrmif    /f/.v/rx   <in<l   (ihilitirx   <t>i<I   hi/   </irin<i   ait 
r<fiifil  opporhui'itt/  \n  nil  in  /y/rymrr  fur  Ilirir  life  irnrk.  —  Equality  of  op 


*In  no  country  will  you  find  the  problem  taken  up  in  so  thoroughgoing  a  manner;  in  no  country 
will  you  find  an  attempt  made  to  cover,  by  means  of  industrial  schools,  the  occupations  of  everyone, 
from  the  lowly  laborer  to  the  director  of  the  great  manufacturing  establishment.  As  has  been  stated: 
"The  State  provides  industrial  training  for  every  person  who  wriH  be  better  off  with  it  than  without  it. 
No  occupation  is  too  humble  to  receive  the  attention  of  the  German  authorities;  and  the  opinion  pre- 
vails there  that  science  and  art  have  a  place  in  every  occupation  known  to  man."  (Vocational  Educa- 
tion m  Europe.  Report  to  the  Commercial*  Club  of  Chicago,  by  Edwin  G.  Cooley,  1912.) 


352  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

portunity  in  our  present  system  of  education  is  not  afforded  to  the 
mass  of  our  children.  While  our  schools  are  opened  freely  to  every  child, 
their  aims  and  purposes  are  such  that  a  majority  of  the  children  are 
unable  to  take  advantage  of  them  beyond  a  certain  grade,  and  hence 
<do  not  secure  at  public  expense  a  preparation  for  their  work  in  life. 
Although  here  and  there  we  see  the  beginnings  of  change,  it  is  still 
true  that  the  schools  are  largely  planned  for  the  few  who  prepare  for 
college  rather  than  for  the  large  number  who  go  into  industry. 

Only  half  of  the  children  who  enter  the  city  elementary  schools  of 
the  country  remain  to  the  final  elementary  grade,  and  only  one  in  ten 
reaches  the  final  year  of  high  school.  On  the  average,  10  per  cent 
of  the  children  have  left  school  at  13  years  of  age;  40  per  cent  have 
left  by  the  time  they  are  14;  70  per  cent  by  the  time  they  are  15,  and 
85  per  cent  by  the  time  they  are  16  years  of  age.  On  the  average  the 
schools  carry  their  pupils  as  far  as  the  fifth  grade,  but  in  some  cities 
great  numbers  leave  below  that  grade. 

If  we  assume  that  all  children  should  have  a  minimum  school  train- 
ing equivalent  to  the  eight  grades  of  the  elementary  school,  we  must 
acknowledge  that  the  schools  now  furnish  this  minimum  to  less  than 
half  the  children  who  enter  them.  The  rest  leave  school  with  in- 
adequate general  education  and  with  no  special  training  to  fit  them 
for  work.  Vocational  courses  are,  therefore,  needed  to  attract  and 
hold  in  school  pupils  who  now  leave  because  they  are  unable  to  ob- 
tain suitable  preparation  for  useful  employment.  For  such  pupils  the 
vocational  courses  also  offer  the  only  opportunity  the  schools  have  to 
give  further  training  in  citizenship. 

Our  whole  scheme  of  education  presupposes  leisure  to  acquire  aca- 
demic culture  or  to  prepare  for  leadership  in  the  professions.  Voca- 
tional culture  and  training  for  leadership  in  industry  is  equally  im- 
portant, and  these  can  come  only  when  education  is  broadened  to  meet 
the  needs  of  all  the  children;  so  that  each  and  every  one  may  have  a 
chance  to  develop  in  accordance  with  his  or  her  capacity  and  be  pre- 
pared to  render  to  society  the  particular  service  of  which  he  or  she  is 
capable. 

(6)  By  extending  education  through  part-time  and  evening  instruction 
to  those  ivho  must  go  to  work  in  the  shop  or  on  the  farm. — Only  a  meager 
percentage  of  the  workers  of  to-day  are  trained  for  their  work,  and 
the  armies  of  children  going  out  from  school  at  14  and  15  years  of  age 
annually  swell  the  ranks  of  the  untrained.  Whether  from  necessity  or 
not,  the  economic  fact  is  that  the  mass  of  children  go  to  work  as  soon 
as  the  laws  of  the  various  states  permit.  It  is  not  solely  because  the 
children  and  their  parents  do  not  appreciate  the  value  of  an  education 
that  more  than  half  of  the  entire  number  who  enter  the  elementary 
school  do  not  remain  to  complete  it.  It  is,  at  least  to  some  extent, 
because  neither  they  nor  their  parents  are  able  to  see  in  the  schools  of 
to-day  an  opportunity  for  education  and  training  to  fit  for  callings  which 
they  must  pursue.  It  is  for  the  States  and  the  Nation,  not  only  to  see 
that  these  children  are  prepared  for  life's  battles  before  they  leave 
school,  but  to  supplement  their  work  by  after  training  in  part-time  and 
evening  schools,  so  as  to  insure  them  the  largest  possible  opportunity  for 
development  in  everything  that  makes  for  useful  and  happy  citizenship. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  353 

The  United  States  is  one  of  the  few  large  nations  which  does  not 
provide  by  legislation  for  the  continued  education  <>('  children  who  be- 
come wage  earners  at  14  years  of  age.  The  period  from  14  to  18  years  of 
age  is  the  one  in  which  the  youth  is  finding  himself  in  society  and 
set  ling  up  standards  which  will  largely  determine  his  future  conduct 
and  career,  and  it  is,  therefore,  important  to  continue  his  training  both 
for  general  civic  intelligence  and  for  vocational  preparation.  If  al- 
lowed to  drift  during  this  period,  or  if  placed  in  an  unwholesome  or 
degrading  environment,  he  may  fail  to  realize  his  own  possibilities  of 
development  and  may  become  a  dependent  or  injurious  member  of  so- 
ciety. The  adolescent  period  is,  therefore,  the  critical  period  during 
which  the  individual  wage-earner  needs  training  for  citizenship  as 
well  as  training  for  work. 

'2.  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING  is  NEEDED  FOR  ITS  INDIRECT,  BUT  POSITIVE, 
EFFECT  ON  THE  AIMS  AND  METHODS  OF  GENERAL  EDUCATION: 

CM  Hi/  <!rrcl(>]>i>i(/  a  better  teaching  process  through  which  children 
•irho  do  not  respond  to  hook  instruction  alone  may  he  reached  and  edu- 
cated through  learning  by  doing. — There  are  many  over-age  children  in 
the  grades,  many  who  fail  to  be  promoted  from  year  to  year  and  soon 
lose  interest  and  drop  out  of  school.  Many  of  these  retarded  chil- 
dren are  present  in  the  few  elementary  vocational  schools  already  estab- 
lished in  this  country,  and  many  teachers  in  these  schools  have  testi- 
fied to  the  remarkable  progress  made  by  these  children  under  a  kind  of 
instruction  which  is  suited  to  their  interests  and  abilities,  which  utilizes 
the  experience  of  the  child  and  relates  the  instruction  to  his  motor  ac- 
tivities. This  is  the  most  successful  way  of  teaching  the  normal  child 
or-  man. 

At  the  same  time  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  so  far  as  vocational 
schools  themselves  are  concerned  they  are  by  no  means  institutions 
for  the  primary  purpose  of  dealing  with  slow  or  retarded  children. 
These  schools  are  such  as  to  call  for  the  best  efforts  of  study  of 
vigorous  and  intelligent  boys  and  girls  seeking  preparation  for  an  im- 
portant life  work. 

(6)  By  introducing  into  our  educational  system  the  aim  of  utility  to 
take  its  place  in  dignity  by  the  side  of  culture,,  and  to  connect  education 
with  life  by  making  it  purposeful  and  useful. — The  mission  of  vocational 
education  is  not  only  to  provide  definite  training  in  the  technique  of  the 
various  occupations,  but  to  relate  that  training  closely  to  the  science, 
mathematics,  history,  geography  and  literature  which  are  useful  to 
the  man  and  woman  as  a  worker  and  a  citizen.  Under  such  instruction 
the  student  worker  becomes  familiar  with  the  laws  of  health  and  with 
his  rights  and  obligations  as  a  worker  and  a  citizen  in  relation  to  his 
•employer,  his  fellow  employes,  his  family,  the  community,  the  State 
and  the  Nation.  I>y  thus  relating  education  closely  to  the  world's  ex- 
perience it  becomes  purposeful  and  useful  and  enables  the  worker  to 
see  the  significance  of,  to  use,  and  to  interpret  in  terms  of  his  own  ex- 
perience, the  knowledge  and  culture  which  the  race  has  accumulated. 
Such  education  is  at  least  entitled  to  a  place  in  dignity  by  the  side  of  the 
more  formal  and  literary  culture  now  given  by  the  schools. 

.'5.        IXIUSTRIAL    AND    SOCIAL    UNREST    IS     DCE     IN    LARGE    MEASURE    TO    A 

LACK  OF  VOCATIONAL  TRAINING. — The  absence  of  opportunity  for  creative 
45 


354  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

work  and,  hence,  for  full  self-expression  is,  without  doubt,  one  of  the 
causes  of  much  of  the  present  unrest.  The  tendency  of  large  scale 
production  to  subdivide  labor  almost  indefinitely  and  to  confine  a 
worker  to  one  monotonous  process,  requiring  little  save  purely  manipu- 
lative skill,  while  effective  so  far  as  the  material  product  is  concerned, 
is  serious  when  measured  in  terms  of  human  values.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  industry  in  its  highly  organized  form,  with  its  intense  specializa- 
tion, is  in  the  main  narrowing  to  the  individual  worker,  and  while 
"hands"  alone  may  satisfy  the  immediate  demands  of  industry,  the  failure 
to  recognize  and  provide  for  human  progress  and  development  is  pro- 
ducing a  restless  and  discontented  people. 

Out  of  this  unrest  comes  a  demand  for  a  more  practical  education 
for  those  who  toil,  an  education  that  will  better  fit  them  to  progress  in 
industry  and  enable  them  to  rise  to  ranks  of  leadership  and  responsi- 
bility. Everywhere  it  is  the  opinion  of  those  who  are  studying  the 
conditions  of  society  that  the  lack  of  practical  education  is  one  of 
the  primary  causes  of  social  and  industrial  discontent. 

Evidence  such  as  that  presented  by  bureaus  which  are  struggling  with 
the  problem  of  unemployment  emphasize  this  need.  One  of  these  bureaus 
states  that  less  than  three  out  of  fifty  men  who  apply  for  work  have 
ever  had  any  sort  of  trade  training  or  apprenticeship.  Most  of  them 
have  been  forced  to  fit  into  some  particular  niche  of  industry  as  young 
untrained  boys,  have  been  too  readily  thrown  out  with  the  introduction 
of  new  inventions  or  devices,  and  help  to  swell  the  army  of  the  unem- 
ployed. A  former  state  pardon  attorney  has  said  that  "nearly  three- 
fourths  of  the  persons  found  in  our  penitentiaries  are  persons  unable  to 
earn  a  living  excepting  at  the  most  rudimentary  form  of  labor."1 

4.  HIGHER  STANDARDS  OP  LIVING  ARE  A  DIRECT  RESULT  OF  BETTER 
EDUCATION. — Better  standards  of  living  are  in  the  main  dependent  upon 
two  important  factors — namely,  an  increased  earning  capacity  for  the 
great  mass  of  our  people  and  a  better  understanding  of  values.  Voca- 
tional education  aims  at  both.  Where  there  is  intense  poverty  there 
is  little  hope  of  developing  higher  standards.  The  one  hope  of  increasing 
the  family  income  lies  in  better  vocational  training. 

It  is  equally  true  that  vocational  education  enlarges  the  worker's 
vision  and  arouses  within  him  a  desire  for  progress.  This  is  shown 
by  the  number  of  men  and  women  who,  by  means  of  further  training 
and  education,  raise  themselves  from  the  ranks  of  unskilled  labor  to 
take  positions  requiring  large  directive  powers  and  responsibilities. 
Our  only  hope  of  progress  is  in  helping  the  individual  to  help  himself. 
This  is  at  the  bottom  of  all  social  uplift.  To  educate  boys  and  girls 
to  perform  their  chosen  tasks  better;  to  understand  the  relation  of 

!The  following  quotations  are  from  Causes  and  Cures  of  Crime,  published  in  1913  by  Thomas  Speed 
Mosby,  former  pardon  attorney  of  the  State  of  Missouri: 

"The  effect  of  the  trades  and  the  practice  of  the  useful  arts  is  in  all  instances  beneficial  and  without 
doubt  is  a  most  potent  element  in  crime  prevention"  (p.  134).  "Nearly  three-fourths  of  the  persons 
found  in  our  penitentiaries  are  persons  unable  to  earn  a  living  excepting  at  the  most  rudimentary 
form  of  labor,  whose  means  of  livelihood  are  limited  to  the  most  primitive  methods,  and  whose  earning 
capacity  is  at  the  lowest  possible  stage.  We  find,  therefore,  the  maximum  of  dishonesty  with  the 
minimum  of  earning  power.  In  other  words,  men  who  are  not  especially  skilled  in  the  arts  and  processj 
of  trade,  and  who  are  wholly  untrained  as  to  honorable  and  profitable  occupations,  are  most  likely 
to  try  to  gain  a  living  by  unlawfully  taking  the  property  of  others"  (p.  135).  "Only  about  one-fourtl 
of  our  penitentiary  convicts  are  illiterates.  Three-fourths  of  them  are  incompetents"  (p.  138) 
schools  are  cheaper  than  reform  schools,  and  manual  training  than  convict  labor  (p.  139).  An<1 
there  is  not  a  prison  warden  in  the  United  States  who  will  not  concur  in  the  observation  of  John  J. 
Fallon,  of  the  Blackwell  Island  Penitentiary,  that  'The  statement  that  the  lack^f  a  trade  is  a  potent 
and  a  permanent  cause  of  crime  is  borne  out  by  all  close  observers  of  penology'"  (p.  140). 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  355 

their  particular  work  to  the  whole;  to  know  what  their  labor  is  worth 
and  demand  a  proper  return  for  it,  and  to  broaden  their  horizon  so 
that  both  their  money  and  their  leisure  time  may  be  spent  for  the  things 
that  are  most  worth  while — this  is  the  task  of  vocational  education. 

r  IT,  LIC  SENTIMENT  SHOWS  THE  NEED  FOR  VOCATIONAL  EDUCATION. 

The  testimony  in  behalf  of  practical  education  comes  from  every 
class  of  citizenship — from  the  educator,  the  manufacturer,  the  trades 
n n ion  1st,  the  business  man,  the  social  worker  and  the  philanthropist. 

In  answer  to  the  question  as  to  whether  there  was  need  for  vocational 
education  in  the  various  states,  the  44  state  superintendents  of  public 
institutions  who  replied,  all  answered  in  the  affirmative;  out  of  305 
city  and  town  superintendents  replying  to  this  question,  369  declared  that 
there  was  urgent  need  for  a  system  of  practical  education  for  the  wage- 
workers  of  their  respective  communities;  14  out  of  the  25  national  labor 
organizations  replying  to  this  question  said  that  the  wage-earners  whom 
they  represented  were  in  favor  of  a  system  of  industrial  education  in 
this  country;  27  out  of  the  37  manufacturers  who  replied,  representing 
skilled,  semi-skilled,  and  unskilled  industries,  selected  by  various  na- 
tional organizations  to  answer  the  question,  said  there  was  a  great  de- 
mand for  the  systematic  training  of  workers  for  the  business  in  which 
they  were  engaged. 

At  previous  hearings  before  various  committees  of  Congress,  national 
organizations,  representing  millions  of  people,  appeared  to  urge  upon 
their  Representatives  the  advisability  of  national  grants  for  various 
forms  of  vocational  education.  During  the  hearings  held  by  the  com- 
mission in  the  preparation  of  this  report  some  of  these  organizations 
either  sent  representatives  to  urge  again  the  need  of  practical  education 
in  the  United  States  or  sent  communications  to  the  same  effect. 

The  movement  for  vocational  education  in  this  country,  although  of 
slow  growth  during  the  past  ten  years,  has  already  gained  promising 
impetus  and  a  few  of  the  states  have  passed  some  legislation.  At  least 
ten  states  have  provided  officially  for  commissions  of  one  kind  or  an- 
other to  investigate  the  problem  of  vocational  education,  all  of  whom 
have  declared  strongly  in  its  favor,  have  recognized  the  imperative  de- 
mand for  it,  and  have  recommended  legislation  of  one  kind  or  another 
for  it. 

While,  as  a  result  of  these  investigations,  a  number  of  states  have 
made  commendable  beginnings  in  vocational  education  of  one  kind  or 
another,  the  progress  made  has  been  very  slow.  This  is  due  both  to  a 
lack  of  funds  necessary  to  initiate  this  new  form  of  education  while  con- 
t inning  the  regular  education,  and  also  because  of  the  lack  of  prestige 
for  vocational  education,  such  as  would  be  gained  by  national  grants. 

In  1910  the  royal  commission  appointed  by  the  Parliament  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  began  investigations  of  the  need  of  vocational  edu- 
cation for  that  country.  The  commission  has  recently  issued  its  re- 
port, which  indicates  an  overwhelming  sentiment  throughout  the  Domin- 
ion in  favor  both  of  practical  education  and  of  grants  out  of  the  treas- 
uries of  the  Provinces  and  of  the  Dominion  as  a  whole  for  its  encourage- 
ment. It  should  be  noted  in  passing  that  the  similar  economic  conditions 


356  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

existing  between  this  country  and  our  great  northern  rival  make  the 
findings  of  the  Canadian  commission  most  significant. 

One  of  the  strongest  indications  of  the  great  need  and  demand  for 
practical  instruction  in  this  country  is  shown  by  the  eagerness  with  which 
opportunities  to  secure  it,  even  at  private  expense,  are  grasped  by 
great  numbers  of  students.  The  United  States  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture reports  that  the  registration  in  short  courses  and  in  schools  for 
farmers  at  the  agricultural  and  mechanical  colleges  for  1013  was  40,416. 

Even  more  significant  are  the  figures  which  show  the  extent  to  which 
correspondence  school  instruction  is  being  given.  There  are  in  the 
United  States  a  large  number  of  correspondence  schools  of  instruction, 
the  great  majority  of  whose  students  are  employed  in  wage-earning  pur- 
suits and  pay  their  hard-earned  money  to  secure  additional  training.  It 
has  been  impossible  to  secure  for  this  report  all  the  facts  regarding  these 
correspondence  schools,  because  they  are  private  organizations  and  sel- 
dom publish  information  as  to  the  number  of  their  students  or  the  ex- 
tent of  their  business.  One  of  the  largest  pf  these  schools  has,  during 
the  past  22  years,  enrolled  1,651,765  pupils  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada  and  is  enrolling  new  students  at  the  rate  of  100,000  a  year,  most 
of  whom  come  from  the  United  States. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  part-time  and  evening  schools,  the  total 
number  of  whose  students  probably  is  not  more  than  25,000  for  the  en- 
tire country,  there  are  no  opportunities  for  ambitious  workers  to  secure 
instruction  by  direct  contact  with  the  teacher  in  the  schoolroom.  The 
exceptional  workman  undoubtedly  profits  by  correspondence  school  in- 
struction, but  would  profit  more  by  schoolroom  teaching.  The  average 
workman  neither  takes  advantage  of,  nor  could  he  profit  much  by,  corres- 
pondence school  instruction.  Whenever,  on  the  other  hand,  part-time  or 
evening  schools  are  established,  many  of  these  workers  do  attend  and 
receive  large  benefits. 

Just  as  the  Smith-Lever  Act  is  designed  to  meet  the  vocational  needs 
of  the  farmer  who  has  already  gone  to  work  on  the  soil,  so  part-time  and 
evening  schools  must  be  established  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  the  de- 
mands of  the  wage-earner  in  the  shop  and  in  the  factory.  A  national 
statute  giving  grants  for  this  purpose  as  at  least  one  of  its  provisions  is 
the  necessary  complement  of  the  Smith-Lever  Act,  both  of  which  are 
important  at  this  time  in  order  that  this  nation  may  safeguard  its  fu- 
ture prosperity  by  the  further  education  of  its  two  great  productive  fac- 
tors— the  industrial  worker  and  the  farmer. 

OPINIONS   OF   STATE    SUPERINTENDENTS. 

Illuminating  indeed  are  the  reasons  given  by  various  state  superin- 
tendents of  public  instruction  for  the  need  of  vocational  education  in 
their  respective  states. 

State  should  point  the  education  of  every  child  leaving  its  school  system,  at  what- 
ever age  he  may  leave  or  whatever  grade  he  may  be  in  at  the  time,  with  the  prac- 
tical education  that  will  fit  him  into  something  in  the  outside  world. 

No  education  tends  to  function  that  is  not  secured  with  a  definite  aim  upon  the 
part  of  the  child  as  to  the  future  application  he  will  make  of  it. 

The  development  of  this  State  will  turn  upon  the  intensity  of  its  reality. 

Vocational  education  tends  to  strengthen  the  link  between  the  school,  the  home, 
and  the  after-school  life. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  :'>.TT 

They  develop  the  natural  products  of  our  State  and  give  our  youth  an  opportunity 
to  become  experts  along  these  lines. 

On  account  of  our  geographical  position  and  resources. 

Because  80  per  cent  of  the  population  follow  this  business. 

To  hitch  up  the  schools  with  life. 

There  is  special  need  for  trade  and  industrial  education  and  almost  no  provisions 
are  made  by  local  communities  for  this  form  of  instruction. 

Agriculture  is  one  of  our  chief  sources  of  productive  wealth,  and  as  an  occupa- 
tion needs  special  encouragement  from  us. 

To  help  those  who  must  work  at  15  and  16  years  of  age. 

For  vocational  guidance. 

An  economic  necessity. 

Efficient  preparation  for  trades,  industry,  commerce,  agriculture,  and  household 
arts  is  a  State  responsibility. 

We  believe  in  preparing  the  people  for  practical  life  and  to  make  them  self- 
sustaining. 

Because  skilled  workers  are  needed  in  large  numbers. 

Because  80  per  cent  of  our  people  live  on  the  farm. 

Because  girls  should  be  prepared  to  do  the  work  at  the  home  in  the  most  ap- 
proved fashion. 

Because  trained  high-school  students  make  efficient  business  men  and  women. 

Business  needs  trained  clerks  and  stenographers. 

This  State  is  distinctly  a  State  of  husbandman. 

For  better  homes  and  community  life. 

For  the  general  welfare. 


APPENDIX  L. 


THE  CANDY  INDUSTRY. 

The  candy  industry  is  distinctly  a  pursuit  where  women  and  girls 
form  the  greater  proportion  of  its  workers.  The  Thirteenth  Census  re- 
port shows  that  over  62  per  cent  of  those  employed  in  the  entire  country 
were  women  and  girls.  Owing  to  the  large  number  of  occupations  with- 
in the  candy  industry  which  can  be  done  by  semi-skilled  workers,  a  largo 
proportion  of  its  workers  are  young  and  inexperienced.  This  undoubtedly 
accounts  for  the  low  wages  paid.  Because  of  this  condition  the  candy 
industry  was  selected  by  the  Commission  for  investigation. 

The  United  States  Census  report  for  1910  gives  the  number  of  candy 
establishments  in  Michigan  as  5G.  These  establishments  employed  1, .'>:';") 
wage-earners.  Of  this  number,  66  were  proprietors  and  firm  members; 
38  salaried  officers,  superintendents  and  managers;  178  office  clerks— 
86  of  whom  were  women  or  girls.  The  factory  workers  16  years  of  age 
or  over  were  1,248.  Of  this  number,  728  were  women  or  girls.  There 
were  25  girls  and  3  boys  employed  under  16  years  of  age.  The  amount 
of  capital  invested  was  $1,769,809.  Salaries  paid  to  officials  amounted 
to  $79,192;  to  clerks,  $141,907,  and  to  wage-earners,  $361,097.  These 
56  establishments  turned  out  annually  products  valued  at  $2,943,761. 
Value  added  by  manufacture  was  $1,146,333. 

The  Michigan  Department  of  Labor  report  issued  in  1913  shows  that 
approximately  575  women  were  employed  in  this  industry  in  14  establish- 
ments employing  10  or  more  women  and  girls.  Investigators  for  the 
Commission  personally  interviewed  296  of  these  workers  in  seven  of  the 
cities  of  the  Lower  Peninsula. 

A   SEASONAL  INDUSTRY. 

The  industry  is  seasonal,  the  dull  period  lasting  about  eight  months 
in  the  year.  The  busy  season  usually  begins  about  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber and  lasts  until  December  15.  During  the  dull  period  the  hours  of 
work  are  shortened,  and  the  working  force  decreased.  Those  who  have 
proved  to  be  the  best  and  most  valuable  workers  are  kept  on  as  long  as 
possible.  This  can  be  accomplished  best  by  shortening  the  hours  of  work 
both  by  day  and  by  week.  The  other  workers  are  forced  to  find  other 
employment.  This,  no  doubt,  accounts  for  the  large  proportion  of  young 
workers  found  in  this  industry. 

The  hours  the  factories  operated  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  investi- 
gators varied  according  to  the  system  established  in  each  particular 
plant.  In  some  the  workers  were  employed  1Q  hours  per  day  for  five 
days  and  for  four  hours  on  Saturday.  This  was  to  conform  with  the  law 
in  Michigan,  which  limits  the  hours  of  employment  to  not  more  than  10 
hours  in  any  one  day  nor  more  than  54  hours  in  any  one  week.  Other 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  350 

establishments  operated  9  hours  each  day;  one  establishment  was  found 
lo  be  operating  but  81-,.  hours  a  day.  The  usual  time  allowed  for  lunch 
was  one  hour. 

MACHINERY  USED. 

The  larger  establishments  were  equipped  with  the  latest  devices  for 
the  manufacture  of  their  product.  The  cooking  and  molding  is  done  by 
men.  Women  or  girls  are  employed  as  tenders  for  the  chocolate  dipping 
machines.  This  machine  is  used  only  in  the  manufacture  of  the  cheaper 
grades  of  chocolate  creams,  and  unskilled  girl  workers  are  employed 
as  tenders. 

Chocolate  dipping  by  hand  is  the  most  highly  skilled  operation  in  the 
manufacture  of  candy.  The  processes  involved  in  the  manufacture  of 
candy  differ  considerably  according  to  the  kind  of  candy  to  be  made. 
The  making  of  the  candy,  the  mixing  of  the  materials  and  the  molding 
is  always  done  by  men,  although  girls  are  employed  as  assistants.  In 
the  manufacture  of  hard  candy,  after  it  has  been  pulled  and  cut  in  sticks, 
girls  are  employed  to  wrap  them  in  oiled  paper  and  pack  them  in  pails 
or  boxes.  This  work  is  not  in  any  sense  hard,  since  the  girls  work  seated 
at  long  tables,  and  often  have  relief  periods  while  waiting  for  another 
batch  to  be  brought  them. 

HAND   CHOCOLATE  DIPPING. 

The  first  thing  to  be  considered  in  the  manufacture  of  chocolate 
creams  is  the  preparation  of  the  cream  centers  or  "fondant."  This 
work  is  done  by  men  employes.  The  materials  are  cooked  in  a  large  ket- 
tle until  of  the  right  consistency,  then  put  in  the  beater,  which  is  a  large 
kettle  fitted  with  a  spiral  coil  of  metal,  which  turns  as  the  kettle  is 
operated  by  electricity,  and  cooled  to  a  certain  temperature;  when  it  is 
cooled  the  beater  is  started  until  the  mixture  creams  off  into  "fondant." 
It  is  then  taken  to  a  marble  slab  and  is  rolled  by  girls  into  different 
molds;  it  then  goes  to  the  chocolate  dipping  room  to  be  covered  with 
chocolate  by  the  "dippers."  The  temperature  of  the  dipping  room  is  usu- 
ally kept  at  from  G5  to  68  degrees.  In  one  of  the  most  modern  establish- 
ments visited  this  room  is  cooled  by  an  exhaust  fan  which  continually 
brings  in  the  cold  air.  The  air  is  drawn  through  running  water  and  is 
forced  up  into  the  chocolate  room  by  an  exhaust  fan  through  a  large 
pipe.  Girls  work  with  low  waisted  necks  and  short  sleeves,  and  feel  no 
ill-effects. 

The  chocolate  is  first  melted  in  a  large  mixer  or  melting  kettle,  which 
is  operated  by  electricity,  and  heated  by  means  of  a  little  gas  jet  directly 
underneath  the  kettle.  This  keeps  the  chocolate  at  an  even  temperature, 
just  warm  enough  to  be  handled  by  the  "dippers."  Inside  the  kettle  is 
a  dasher  or  beater  which  also  runs  by  electricity,  and  is  to  keep  the 
chocolate  from  getting  hard  as  well  as  to  blend  the  chocolate. 

The  chocolate  dippers,  who  are  all  women  or  girls,  are  seated  at  a  long 
table  where  there  is  a  pot  or  kettle  of  chocolate.  The  girls  begin  work 
in  the  morning  with  a  clean  marble  slab,  but  before  noon  they  will  have 
an  accumulation  of  at  least  five  pounds  of  chocolate.  This,  the  next 
morning,  is  remelted  and  can  be  used  over. 


360  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

GETTING  THE   KNACK. 

The  chocolate  dippers  are  first  taught  to  work  chocolate  on  the  slab ; 
if  they  don't  know  how  to  handle  it,  it  will  "freeze  up."  After  they  can 
handle  the  plain  chocolate  properly  they  are  first  put  to  work  on  the  nut 
clusters,  where  they  can't  spoil  the  candy,  as  there  is  no  uniformity  re- 
quired in  the  dipping  of  nut  clusters.  An  apt  girl  can  learn  to  dip  the 
cheaper  grade  of  nut  clusters  in  two  days,  although  a  week  is  usually 
required  to  learn.  When  they  become  further  advanced,  they  are  allowed 
to  dip  single  nuts.  This  process,  too,  requires  about  a  week  to  learn. 
When  they  have  acquired  the  knack  of  doing  this  part  of  the  work  they 
are  put  on  the  cheaper  creams — creams,  which  the  manufacturer  of  high- 
grade  goods  has  not  been  able  to  "work  up"  the  day  before.  They  are 
then  taught  the  art  of  making  "strings"  on  the  top  of  the  chocolate 
cream  after  the  creams  have  been  dipped  in  the  chocolate.  When  they 
have  become  sufficiently  adept  at  this,  they  are  allowed  to  work  on  the 
better  grade  creams,  where  skill  is  required.  One  manufacturer  of  high 
grade  chocolates  told  the  investigator  that  he  usually  tried  a  girl  out 
for  three  or  four  months  in  dipping  the  "common  goods,"  before  putting 
her  at  work  on  the  creams  which  retail  at  from  80  cents  to  $1  per  pound, 
when  she  must  have  had  at  least  one  year's  experience. 

MUST  DIP   A  TON  A    MONTH. 

Aii  experienced  plain  siring  chocolate  dipper  is  expected  to  dip  100 
pounds  per  day  and  80  pounds  of  the  fancy  string  chocolate  creams.  It 
takes  a  girl  at  least  two  months  to  learn  to  handle  the  dipping  of  the  one 
string  chocolates  right,  while,  with  the  fancy  string,  three  or  four 
months  and  often  a  longer  time  is  required  to  learn.  There  is  a  peculiar 
twist  or  knack  to  this  operation  which  some  girls  are  never  able  to 
acquire.  Piece-workers  on  milk  chocolate  can  dip  faster  than  those 
working  on  the  heavy  bitter  chocolate. 

The  more  experienced  chocolate  dippers  are  usually  piece-workers. 
Wages  paid  this  class  of  workers  were  found  to  vary  according  to  the 
location  of  the  plant  and  to  the  competition  each  manufacturer  meets 
in  hiring  his  workers.  Wages  paid  varied  from  $3.82  a  week,  paid  by 
one  manufacturer  to  a  dipper  with  five  months'  experience,  to  $4  by 
another  manufacturer  to  dippers  with  from  10  months'  to  one  year's  ex- 
perience, and  to  $12  a  week  to  a  dipper  with  many  years'  experience.  In 
one  establishment  two  chocolate  dippers  of  three  and  four  years'  exper- 
ience received  for  a  full  week's  work  of  0  hours  per  day  or  54  hours  per 
week,  $5  each.  While  this  was  their  earnings  for  a  full  week's  work, 
they  received  for  the  week  immediately  preceding  the  visit  of  the  invosli- 
gator,  respectively,  $4.37  and  $4.22. 

BON   BON    DIFPliV.'. 

Bon  bon  dipping  is  not  done  in  a  cooled  room.  The  girls  are  seated 
at  small  tables.  In  the  center  of  these  tables  is  a  small  kettle  in  which 
the  soft  cream  is  placed  and  kept  at  the  right  temperature  by  means  of 
a  small  gas-heater  located  directly  beneath  each  kettle.  These  dippers 
use  a  wire  dipping  fork  expressly  made  for  this  work.  The  center,  com- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  361 

of  soft  cream,  mil,  cherry,  etc.,  is  dropped  into  the  kettle,  covered 
with  cream  and  dipped  out  with  the  fork  and  placed  on  a  tray.  When 
these  trays  are  filled  they  are  packed  in  the  same  room  since  they  do  not 
require  cooling. 

Experienced  bon  bon  dippers  can  dip  70  pounds  of  nut  tops  in  one  day. 
Those  bon  bons  requiring  fancy  string  tops"  are  not  turned  out  with 
equal  speed— 50  pounds  a  day  being  considered  a  good  day's  work.  These 
workers  often  complain  of  the  excessive  heat — especially  in  the  summer 
mouths — the  nearness  of  the  gas-burner  used  for  keeping  the  cream  at 
the  right  temperature  being  responsible  for  this.  Electric  fans  would 
prove  a  great  relief  to  employes  in  these  departments. 

Bon  bon  dippers  receive  from  $4  to  $10  a  week.  One  manufacturer 
paid  one  of  his  dippers  of  five  years'  experience  $5.40  for  a  full  week's 
work,  or  at  the  rate  of  10  cents  an  hour.  Another  paid  $6  to  a  worker  of 
three  years'  experience;  and  another  paid  $7.20  a  week  to  a  girl  with 
two  years'  experience. 

TACKING   ROOM. 

All  experienced  girl  packer  will  average  8  dozen  pound  boxes  per  day. 
Both  skill  and  speed  is  required  in  this  work.  The  girl  must  be  able  to 
tell  at  a  glance  whether  the  candies  to  be  packed  are  perfect — and  to 
judge  of  flavors  of  chocolates  by  the  strings  on  the  top  of  the  chocolate. 
Flavor  is  told  in  that  way  by  an  experienced  packer  and  wrapper.  She 
must  also  be  able  to  tie  a  pretty  bow.  The  fore-woman  usually  selects 
for  this  work  a  girl  who  is  a  tasty  dresser. 

If  the  piece-workers  show  any  tendency  to  slight  their  work  there  are 
inspectors  who  are  always  on  the  watch,  and  the  candy  is  turned  back 
to  the  girl  to  be  done  over  again.  The  girl  packers  are  first  tried  out 
on  pail  packing,  which  comprises  the  cheaper  grades  of  candies.  The 
girls  can  do  this  work  in  the  beginning  nearly  as  well  as  when  they  have 
had  experience,  but  will  not  turn  out  as  much  work,  in  other  words, 
not  much  skill  is  required.  Speed  is  what  counts  here.  Girls1*  in  this 
department  are  usually  required  to  keep  the  floor  space  near  their  tables 
in  a  clean  condition. 

This  class  of  candy  workers  receive  from  $4.50,  with  one  year's  exper- 
ience, to  $12  with  11  years'  experience.  Girls  attending  machines  re- 
ceive $4.48  to  $10  a  week.  Girls  wrapping  slick  or  other  hard  candy  re- 
ceive from  $3.50  to  $6.50  a  week  for  a  full  week's  work.  Fore- women  re- 
ceive from  $6  to  $13  a  week;  wrappers-  receive  from  $4  to  $0  a  week. 
Those  receiving  $6  as  wrappers  for  a  full  week's  work  had  four  years' 
experience.  One  girl  was  paid  $2.50  a  week  as  errand  girl. 

CONDITIONS   OF   EMPLOYMENT. 

The  general  sanitary  conditions  in  most  of  the  establishments  visited 
were  good,  although  there  were  exceptions. 

Until  within  recent  years  the  manufacturers  thought  that  it  was  more 
economical  to  have  1he  chocolate  dipping  department  iu  the  basement. 
Tuder  those  conditions  the  rooms  were  often  insanitary  and  damp,  and 
the  employes  were  forced  to  work  by  artificial  light  all  day.  The  major- 

v  of  the  manufacturers  have  gotten  awav  from  this  idea,  and  Hie  choc- 


362 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 


olate  rooms  arc  now  on  one  of  the  upper  floors,  where  good  light  and  ven- 
tilation is  available.  There  were  a  few,  however,  who  still  had  the 
chocolate  room  in  the  basement,  and  in  these,  conditions  might  be  im- 
proved, both  as  to  cleanliness  of  the  establishment  and  the  healthfuluess 
of  the  employment. 

Table    No.    47.— SUMMARY    OF    CANDY    INDUSTRY    TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 


Number.      Per  cent. 


Localities  visited 

Establishments  investigated 

Employes  interrogated 

American-born 

Foreign-born : 

Living  at  home 

Adrift 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over 

Working  under  1  year 

Working  under  3  years 

Working  3  years  and  over 

Have  followed  other  occupations 

Under  16  years  of  age 

Under  20  years  of  age 

Under  25  years  of  age 

25  years  of  age  and  over 

Single ." 

M  arried /*. 

Widowed 

Separated  or  divorced 


7 

18 
296 
244 

52 
248 

48 
122 
226 

69 
110 
203 

93 
168 

21 
105 
243 

53 
256 

32 
4 
4 


82.4 
17.6 
83.8 
16.2 
41.2 
76.6 
23.4 
37.2 
68.6 
31.4 
56.8 
7.1 
55.7 
82.1 
17.9 
86.4 
10.8 
1.4 
1.4 


APPENDIX  M. 


CORE-MAKING. 

Core  making  is  not  an  independent  industry,  but  is  one  of  the  occupa- 
tions within  the  industry  of  casting  or  molding  iron,  steel  or  brass.  It 
is  not  an  occupation  where  there  is  a  large  number  of  women  or  girls 
employed,  although  each  year  they  are  found  to  be  supplanting  men  and 
boys  who  formerly  handled  this  branch  of  foundry  work.  It  is  an  oc- 
cupation generally  looked  upon  as  not  within  woman's  sphere;  and  for 
that  reason  it  seemed  wise  to  include  it  with  those  to  be  investigated. 

The  following  processes  cover  core-making  in  ordinary  brass  foundry 
practice : 

The  majority  of  brass  castings  are  not  made  solid,  but  with  indenta- 
tions or  hollow  interiors.  A  comparatively  few  castings  have  these  open- 
ings formed  in  the  process  of  molding,  but  the  majority  of  castings  re- 
quire what  is  termed  as  "dry  sand"  core. 

Briefly  stated,  a  dry  sand  core  is  made  of  a  mixture  of  fine  dry  sand, 
to  which  is  added  a  binder ;  this  binder  may  be  flour,  resin,  or  some  com- 
pound which  is  used  as  a  binder.  Water  is  then  added,  and  the  sand, 
hinder,  and  water  incorporated  into  one  mass,  hand  mixed  or  machine 
mixed,  according  to  the  quantity  of  sand  that  is  prepared.  This  mix- 
ture is  made  by  men,  and  carried  into  the  core  room,  where  women  and 
girls  convert  it  into  cores.  The  women  usually  sit  at  a  long  table  divided 
into  separate  compartments  for  each  individual  worker. 

The  process  is  to  take  the  necessary  quantity  of  sand  mixed,  and  fill 
into  the  iron,  or  other  mold  that  is  the  right  shape  to  produce  the  neces- 
sary core  form.  The  sand  mixture  is  worked  into  the  mold  so  firmly 
that  it  will  still  retain  its  form  when  the  mold  is  removed.  To  accom- 
plish this  it  is  usually  necessary  to  force  the  sand  into  all  the  parts  of 
the  mold  by  sharp  blows  with  a  mallet.  Vent-holes,  which  are  made  by 
means  of  a  wire  made  for  that  purpose  provide  a  means  of  escape  for 
the  gases  formed  by  the  heated  materials  composing  the  sand  mixture. 
When  the  mold  is  lifted  off,  the  core  is  placed  on  iron  plates  and  a  man 
takes  the  plates  containing  these  cores  into  an  oven  where  they  are 
baked.  When  they  come  from  the  ovens,  girls  called  scrapers  even  off 
with  a  knife  any  imperfections  which  may  occur. 


i 


PART    HANDLED    BY    GIRLS. 

The  only  part  of  the  process  that  is  handled  by  girls  in  the  core  room 
the  forming  of  the  sand  into  cores  by  means  of  the  iron  forms  calico1 

re  boxes.  For  brass  foundry  practice,  the  cores  are  usually  small, 
ny  of  them  do  not  weigh  an  ounce — others  might  weigh  several 

nces,  lint  very  few  of  them  ever  run  into  pounds. 

The  usual  core  box  provided  for  the  making  of  cores  is  of  light  con- 


364  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

struction,  so  that  it  can  be  handled  without  fatigue  on  the  part  of  tlie 
operator.  Mostly  all  women  making  cores  are  provided  with  tables  on 
which  is  placed  their  sand  mixture,  and  they  nearly  always  are  seated 
at  their  work. 

The  making  of  the  majority  of  cores  is  not  a  skilled  operation.  The 
work  is  constructive,  however,  requiring  more  than  mere  mechanical 
movements.  While  instances  were  not  found  of  any  woman  having 
learned  the  trade  as  a  whole,  they  seemed  a  fairly  contented  lot  of  work- 
ers. They  are  required  to  make  different  kinds  of  cores  and  this  keeps 
the  work  from  becoming  monotonous. 

One  manufacturer  told  the  investigator  that  they  had  tried  out  young 
boys  of  foreign  birth  or  parentage,  but  that  they  had  not  proved  as  rapid 
or  as  careful  workers  as  the  women  and  girls — and  were  not  content  to 
remain  at  this  work  indefinitely,  but  were  anxious  to  work  on  up  as  soon 
as  they  had  mastered  this  branch  of  the  work. 

AX   EASILY  ACQUIRED  TRADE. 

While  in  the  foundries  in  the  larger  cities  foreign  women  or  girls, 
who  usually  are  not  able  to  speak  English,  are  employed,  in  the  smaller 
cities  women  and  girls  of  the  same  social  standing  as  those  found  in 
other  employments  are  employed  as  core-workers.  One  woman  who  was 
found  clerking  in  a  dry-goods  store  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  in- 
vestigator said  that  she  was  a  core-maker  by  trade  and  expected  to  re- 
turn as  soon  as  the  dull  season  passed.  She  made  double  the  wages  as 
a  core-worker  that  she  received  as  saleswoman  and  had  Saturday  after- 
noons and  evenings  off. 

It  does  not  take  an  apt  girl  longer  than  two  weeks  to  learn  the  work 
and  in  a  few  months  she  can  become  a  proficient  core-maker.  The 
usual  practice  is  to  take  a  green  operator,  and  start  her  at  hour  work, 
the  fore-woman  teaching  her  the  process.  This  usually  requires  about  a 
week,  and  during  this  time  she  is  paid  by  the  hour;  after  that  she  is 
usually  employed  at  piece-work,  thus  obtaining  a  higher  wage  than  at 
hour  work;  in  this  way  being  compensated  for  her  proficiency  and  in- 
dustry. 

(JKNERAL    COXIUT10XS   OF   EMPLOYMENT. 

There  is  no  dangerous  machinery  and  no  speeding  up  in  this  occupa- 
tion, and  the  work  in  itself  is  not  injurious,  as  the  mixtures  handled 
contain  no  poisonous  matter.  However,  in  a  few  instances,  the  oven 
was  in  the  same  room  with  the  core-workers  and  the  gas  fumes  are 
then  apt  to  fill  the  room.  This  was  found  to  be  true  in  two  of  the 
foundries  visited.  In  one,  the  heat  was  intense  during  the  hot  summer 
months,  and  while  an  electric  fan  had  been  provided  and  placed  near 
the  window  where  the  workers  were  located,  it  seemed  to  have  a  ten- 
dency to  draw  the  hot  air  toward  the  workers  rather  than  away  from 
them. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
T,,U,    No.  48.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  CORE  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS 


Character  of  information. 

Number.       Per  cent. 

Localities  visited  

3     

Establishments  investigated  

9    

Employes  interrogated  

9(1    

American-born  

55              55.6 

Foreign-born  

44               44.4 

Living  at  home  

74               74.7 

Adrift  

25               25.3 

Receiving;  less  than  $6  per  week. 

17              17.2 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  

::>             34.7 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  

04               65.3 

Working  under  1  year  

IS              18.2 

Working  under  3  years  

62               62.6 

Working  3  years  and  over  

37  i            37.4 

Have  followed  other  occupations  

70              79.8 

Under  16  years  of  age  

3               30.3 

ruder  20  years  of  age 

45               45.5 

Tinier  2">  years  of  agi1 

70             70.7 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

29               29.3 

Single  

78             78.8 

Married  

16               16.2 

Widowed  ..    . 

2                2.0 

Separated  or  divorced  

3                3.0 

APPENDIX  N. 


THE  CORSET  INDUSTRY. 

The  corset  industry  is  largely  a  machine  industry,  the  sewing  machine, 
equipped  with  special  attachments  for  the  various  kinds  of  operations 
being  the  chief  one  used.  It  is  an  operation  in  which  the  larger  pro- 
portion of  its  workers  are  women  and  girls. 

The  United  States  Census  for  1910  gives  the  number  of  establishments 
in  the  United  States  as  138,  employing  19,520  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren, and  16,395,  or  84  per  cent,  were  women.  While  Michigan,  in  point 
of  number  of  establishments,  stands  fourth  on  the  list  of  states,  it  is 
second  in  the  total  number  of  persons  employed,  having  in  1909  some 
2,875,  of  whom  2,311  were  women  and  girls.  Of  this  number  47  were 
under  16  years  of  age. 

Connecticut,  with  17  establishments,  heads  the  list  in  number  of 
persons  employed,  having  7,177,  of  whom  6,173  were  women  and  girls. 
Of  this  number,  211  were  reported  as  being  under  16  years  of  age. 
While  New  York  has  the  greater  number  of  establishments  (47),  there 
were  only  2,787  persons  employed;  2,104  were  women  and  girls;  11 
were  under  16  years  of  age.  Michigan  stands  second  in  amount  of 
capital  invested  ($3,038,479),  and  third  in  the  value  of  the  annual 
products— $4,367,516. 

The  1914  report  of  the  Michigan  Department  of  Labor  gives  the  num- 
ber of  persons  engaged  in  the  corset  industry  for  the  year  1913  as  2,712. 
Of  this  number  2,311,  or  85  per  cent,  were  women  or  girls.  The  num- 
ber reported  under  16  years  of  age  is  64.  The  investigators  for  the 
Commission  personally  interrogated  871  of  these  workers  in  the  four 
cities  where  these  establishments  are  located — Detroit,  Kalamazoo, 
Jackson  and  Saginaw. 

Specialization  and  the  division  of  labor  have  within  a  few  years  been 
extended  to  the  corset  trade  perhaps  to  a  greater  extent  than  in  many 
other  processes  of  manufacturing  where  the  labor  of  women  enters 
chiefly  in  the  process  of  manufacture.  Necessarily,  the  same  results 
have  obtained  from  the  application  of  these  two  industrial  principles 
as  have  been  noted  in  the  industries  confined  chiefly  to  men.  This  is 
to  be  expected.  The  mere  purpose  of  mentioning  the  entrance  of  these 
factors  into  the  consideration  of  those  problems  that  affect  female  labor 
is  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  the  men,  they  have  contributed  to  the 
raising  of  the  standard  of  wages  and  likewise  they  have  increased  the 
production  of  the  individual  operators,  which  in  practice,  should  bring 
about  a  reduction  in  the  cost.  Corset  making  has  developed  within 
recent  years  from  a  work  in  which  one  or  two  employes  did  all  the 
work,  until  now  many  contribute  their  specialized  skill  to  the  process 
of  manufacture. 


1  MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  367 

THE  OCCUPATIONS. 

Iii  corset  milking,  the  division  of  labor  plays  an  important  role.  The 
number  of  operations  involved  in  the  making  of  a  corset  varies  according 
to  its  style  and  quality.  As  many  as  40  different  operations  are  re- 
quired in  the  making  of  corsets  of  certain  styles. 

To  trace  every  ramification  of  the  industry  one  would  necessarily  have 
to  start  with  the  purchasing  agent,  who  secures  the  materials  that 
enter  into  the  process  of  manufacture.  Some  of  the  commonest  varieties 
of  cloth  used  are  known  as  jeans.  The  jeans  are  usually  made  into  the 
cheaper  grade  of  corsets.  Coutils  range  from  ten  cents  to  fl  per  yard. 
Pecan,  Gibraltar  batiste,  mercerized  batiste,  silk  batiste  and  silk  and 
cotton  brocades  enter  into  the  production  of  the  higher-priced  corsets. 
.Many  colors  were  used  formerly.  Most  manufacturers  still  have  a  stock 
of  the  old  fancy  materials  on  hand,  which,  of  course,  has  involved  a 
loss  to  the  manufacturer. 

Another  source  of  loss  to  the  manufacturer  follows  the  change  of 
styles.  For  instance,  at  the  present  time  corsets  are  made  with  high 
busts;  last  season,  they  were  cut  with  very  low  busts  or  no  busts  at 
all.  These  also  had  rubber  gores  at  the  hip  and  bust  and  some  had 
elastic  around  the  top  of  the  corset.  Some  of  the  corsets  are  known 
to  the  trade  as  dancing  corsets  or  girdles.  These  have  become  the  prac- 
tical corset  for  the  general  trade.  They  have  very  little  boning.  While 
the  corset  may  or  may  not  be  just  a  whim,  the  manufacturer  must  keep 
up  the  demand,  follow  the  passing  style  and  otherwise  meet  his  com- 
petitor, or  lose  the  trade.  Constant  change  of  styles  necessarily  mean 
a  consequent  financial  loss,  when  a  large  stock  is  carried. 

One  material  conies  in  twills.  Some  are  known  as  herringbone  strip- 
ping which  are  used  for  bone  pockets,  which  come  in  different  quali- 
ties and  vary  in  price,  according  to  the  corset.  Figured  silks  are  also 
bound  of  the  same  material  to  enhance  their  appearance.  Prussian 
silk  tape  is  used  as  a  binding  for  the  higher-priced  corsets.  Very  little 
whalebone  is  used  in  the  manufacture  of  corsets.  Corset  steels  are 
usually  made  from  a  tempered  wire  and  these  are  covered  in  a  variety 
of  ways.  Paper  is  used  as  a  covering  in  the  cheaper  corsets.  Mus- 
lin is  used  on  medium-priced  corsets,  and  celluloid  or  wabone  on 
higher-priced  corsets. 

Some  of  the  cheaper  embroideries  are  made  in  the  corset  plant  on 
automatic  machines  and  from  different  materials.  Cotton,  mercerized 
cotton  and  silk  are  used  according  to  the  garment.  Ribbons  of  various 
widths  and  quality  are  used  as  trimmings  and  bows  and  on  some  of 
the  higher-priced  corsets  ribbon  is  utilized  to  cover  the  hose  supporters. 

BOXING   AND    CUTTING. 

Different  sizes  and  priced  boxes  are  used,  according,  of  course,  to 
the  price  of  the  corset.  Crating  boxes  are  made  to  ship  the  goods  in; 
some  are  bought  in  shocks  ready  to  be  nailed  together.  Corrugated 
paper  boxes  are  also  used  for  packing. 

The  cloth  is  carefully  examined  and  is  carefully  assorted  as  to 
shades  before  it  is  put  on  the  cutting  tables.  These  tables  vary  in 
length  from  .">()  to  100  feet  and  most  of  the  spreads  are  laid  24-ply, 


368  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

unless  the  material  is  of  such  a  nature  that  it  will  make  it  practical 
to  cut  it  thicker.  The  pattern  is  laid  so  that  it  will  cut  with  the  great- 
est economy.  Most  of  the  cutting  is  done  by  hand;  although  a  cutting 
machine  is  sometimes  used,  but  it  is  not  as  practical  as  the  curves  in 
the  patterns  are  difficult  to  accomplish.  Twenty-four  thicknesses  of  cloth 
mean  a  dozen  to  a  cut.  These  are  then  tied  and  work  tags  are  attached 
bearing  a  list  of  the  various  operations  involved  in  manufacture. 

The  next  operation  is  the  cutting  of  the  bone  pockets.  These  are  cut 
in  lengths  or  strips  .and  sewed  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  corset  to 
make  bone  pockets  or  casings.  The  usual  method  of  cutting  cloth  in 
a  large  factory  is  on  a  machine  having  circular  knives.  This  machine 
unwinds  the  bolt,  cuts  and  rewinds  the  bolt  in  the  proper  widths  in  a 
single  operation. 

STITCHING. 

These  corsets  are  sent  to  the  stitching  room  in  the  respective  bundles. 
The  first  operation  is  folding  for  the  lap-seam,  or  in  other  words,  a  fell 
seam.  However,  there  are  some  factories  which  have  a  folder  attached 
to  their  machines  doing  this  stitching  and  folding  in  one  operation. 

JOINING,  SEAMING  AND  CLOSING. 

A  gauge  row  was  used  in  closing  in  the  old-style  corsets.  This  is  no 
longer  used  now.  The  operator,  whether  a  one  or  two-needle  operator, 
had  to  be  very  efficient  and  to  understand  how  to  put  it  together,  so  as 
to  assemble  the  corset  properly,  which  in  itself,  is  an  important  opera- 
tion. There  are  V-shaped  gores,  or  darts,  to  give  shape  to  the  corset. 
Skill  and  care  are  necessary  to  make  a  smooth  seam.  This  is  one  of  the 
best-paid  operations,  since  great  skill  is  necessary.  Corsets,  with  fewer 
gores,  are  manufactured  at  the  present  time,  however.  The  belt  or 
waistband  on  the  inside  of  the  corset  is  either  pasted  or  basted  in  by 
hand  or  machine.  When  basted  the  stripping  is  then  put  on  which 
holds  the  belt  in  place.  This  tape  determines  the  waist  line  of  the 
corset  and  adds  greatly  to  its  strength. 

FRONT    CLASP    STITCH  I XG. 

The  clasp  is  provided  with  an  interlining  which  keeps  the  clasp  from 
cutting  the  outer  cloth.  The  front  clasp  is  stitched  on  a  Iwo-needle 
machine,  after  the  same  has  been  folded,  where  the  style  of  the  corset 
will  permit,  since  it  makes  the  stitching  uniform,,  while  other  styles 
use  the  single-stitching  machine.  On  the  cheaper  grade  of  corsets,  slots 
for  the  clasps  are  cut  with  a  chisel  and  just  the  proper  width  in  which 
to  insert  the  hooks.  The  higher-priced  corsets  have  a  strip  of  the 
similar  material  to  the  bone  pockets  which  is  stitched  with  a  single- 
needle  machine.  On  the  hook  side  a  margin  is  left  for  the  hooks  to 
slide  through,  instead  of  cutting  through  the  cloth  with  a  chisel,  which 
has  a  tendency  to  ravel.  This  is  described  as  skip-stitching. 

BACK-STITCHING. 

The  corset  then  goes  to  the  back-makers.  These  use  a  four-needle 
machine,  although  in  certain  cases  a  single-needle  machine  is  some- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  ;5C,0 


nies  employed.  This  machine  stitches  tho  back  strip,  lining  and  inter- 
lining  and  in  sonic  cases  sews  tlirco  inlerlinings  and  1\vo  hack  wires 
in  at  one  operation. 

STRIPPING,    STEEL    STITCHING     AND    HONING. 

Next  comes  the  stripping,  which,  at  the  present  time,  is  done  on  the 
1  luce-needle  machine,  which  takes  one,  two  or  three  flexible  wires,  ac- 
(oi  ding  to  the  number  of  wires  to  be  inserted,  and  two  linings  besides 
the  si  rips  which  are  all  stitched  in  at  one  operation,  thereby  making 
a  bone  casing,  and  wires  put  in  in  one  operation. 

The  next  is  a  side  steel,  which  is  a  wider  wire,  usually  five-eighths 
inch  in  width  and  about  the  same  gauge  as  the  other  wires.  It  is 
stitched  in  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other  stays  with  a  two-needle 
machine,  the  side  steel  stripping  and  interlining  being  completed  in 
one  operation. 

The  practice  of  filling  or  boning  the  corset  by  hand  at  present  is 
very  seldom  carried  on,  in  some  factories  practically  all  these  being  put 
in  when  the  stripping  is  stitched  on. 

EXAMINING. 

Now  the  corset  goes  to  the  examiner.  Experienced  examiners  inspect 
the  corset  and  all  defects  and  rips  are  repaired  by  special  repair  girls. 
Formerly  a  large  number  of  fillers  or  boners  were  employed  to  put 
the  bones  in  by  hand,  but  at  the  present  time  the  work  is  being  done 
by  machines. 

SHAPING. 

Then  follows  the  shaping.  The  corset  now  has  the  steels  and  wires 
and  it  is  ready  to  be  shaped.  This  operation  is  to  cut  the  ends  of  the 
strips  and  the  ends  of  the  backs  without  interfering  with  the  shape 
of  the  corset,  and  was  formerly  done  by  a  large  force  of  men  with 
large  shears  made  expressly  for  heavy  work.  This  is  now  done  by  ma- 
chines with  rotary  knives,  whereby  a  man  or  girl  will  do  three  times 
as  much  work  in  the  same  length  of  time.  The  average  wage  before 
was  about  $\'2  per  week  Avitli  very  hard  work  for  the  hands.  At  the 
present  time,  while  the  operator  is  obliged  to  stand  all  day,  he  can 
make  one-third  more  wages  on  about  half  the  price  per  dozen. 

EYELETTING. 

This  is  done  by  automatic  eyeletting  machines  that  punch  a  hole  for 
the  eyelets  and  put  the  eyelets  in  in  one  operation.  The  old  method 
used  to  be  by  means  of  a  small  punch,  making  one  hole  at  a  time. 
The  eyelets  were  inserted  Avith  the  same  operation,  but  the  more 
up-to-date  method  is  more  satisfactory.  Originally,  this  was  done  by 
men  on  a  weekly  wage,  but  at  present,  it  is  done  by  piece-workers  with 
more  satisfactory  results  to  the  worker  and  manufacurer. 

47 


370  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

DRAW-STRINGS. 

Formerly,  the  higher  bust  corsets  were  made  with  a  draw-string  at 
the  top  of  the  bust,  stitched  in  with  the  binding  to  make  the  bust 
adjustable.  While  there  are  quite  a  few  styles  that  now  have  a  bust 
high  enough  to  demand  a  draw-string,  still  they  are  not  used  as  ex- 
tensively now.  This  operation  was  done  by  having  the  draw-strings  cut 
the  proper  lengths  and  basted  on  the  top  of  the  corset,  these  being 
afterward  bound  in.  At  the  present  time,  the  draw-string  is  put  in 
at  the  same  time  the  binding  is  put  on.  It  is  caught  in  the  binding, 
so  as  to  make  the  two  operations  in  one,  thereby  making  it  an  im- 
portant operation.  This  part  of  the  work  requires  an  experienced 
operator. 

LACE    AND    EMBROIDERY. 

Most  laces  and  embroideries  are  put  on  plain  and  have  no  provisions 
for  a  ribbon  to  be  strung  in  the  same.  Machines  are  now  used  to 
string  the  ribbon  in  the  laces  and  embroider  in  the  holes,  an  opera- 
tion which  is  done  at  a  great  reduction  in  cost  over  the  old  ways  of 
stringing  by  means  of  bodkin  needles. 

BINDING. 

Quite  recently  other  operations  have  been  combined  with  that  in- 
volved in  the  binding  of  the  corset,  which  makes  it  more  complicated 
and  a  very  important  operation.  It  requires  an  experienced  operator. 
This  is  also  a  very  profitable  operation  to  the  operators.  The  top  of 
the  corset,  as  stated  above,  includes  the  draw-string  and  the  bottom  the 
hose  supporters,  which  are  now  bound  in,  instead  of  being  put  on 
separately,  consequently  this  work  now  includes  three  and  sometimes 
four  operations  in  one. 

FLOSSING. 

This  operation  is  sometimes  done  by  hand  on  the  more  expensive  arti- 
cle. It  is  more  generally  done  on  machines  made  expressly  for  the  pur- 
pose. Flossing  might  be  termed  staying  around  the  top  and  bottom  of 
the  wires  to  keep  them  in  place.  This  operation  is  a  difficult  one  and  it 
requires  both  time  and  experience  to  make  an  efficient  operator. 

Floss  trimming  is  done  entirely  by  hand.  It  consists  in  cutting  the 
loose  ends  of  thread  and  silk  that  are  left  on  the  under  side  of  the  cor- 
set from  the  flossing  or  staying  machines. 

LAUNDRY. 

There  has  been  a  very  progressive  jump  in  the  laundry  department, 
which  was  changed  from  time  to  time  from  the  old  slug  iron  which 
was  heated  by  a  coal  stove  and  inserted  into  an  iron  to  hold  the  heat. 
Later,  gas  irons  came  into  use  with  a  blower  to  blow  the  air  and  gas 
into  a  pipe.  This  supplied  a  regular  heat.  Within  a  short  time  the 
electric  iron  has  come  into  use.  This  improvement  enables  a  girl  of 
reasonable  ability  to  do  three  or  four  times  as  much  work  at  a  less 
cost  than  a  strong  man  with  the  ordinary  gas  iron.  This  operation  is 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  371 


sometimes  divided  into  two  operations.  The  corsets  must  be  sprayed 
01-  dampened  before  .they  are  pressed.  In  some  factories  starch  is  used 
in  the  sprayer  to  stiffen  the  goods,  but  most  of  the  manufacturers  at 
ih is  time  find  there  is  enough  dressing  in  the  goods  to  give  the  neces- 
sary finish  to  the  garment.  This,  too,  is  a  very  important  operation. 

In  all  of  the  larger  corset  factories  visited,  automatic  irons  were  in 
use.  These  were  heated  by  electricity.  The  girls  operating  these  irons 
are  seated  in  comfortable  chairs  in  front  of  a  padded  board,  and  these 
irons  move  back  and  forth  over  these  padded  boards  by  a  slight  pres- 
sure of  the  foot  press.  The  operator  shifts  the  corset  back  and  forth 
under  the  moving  iron  until  every  part  has  been  ironed.  These  ma- 
chines have  been  recently  installed  at  a  considerable  cost  to  the  manu- 
facturer, and  are  a  great  labor  saving,  for  they  can  be  operated  by 
girls  or  women  at  much  less  cost  than  when  the  work  was  formerly 
done  in  the  old  way  by  men. 

LACE    STITCHING. 

Lace  stitching  is  done  on  the  single-needle  machine.  However,  there 
are  some  kinds  of  lace  that  are  stitched  on  with  a  two-needle  machine 
made  expressly  for  the  purpose.  Some  styles  of  trim  used  on  the  top  of 
the  corset  serve  as  a  binding. 

HAND    SEWING    AND    TACKING. 

On  the  better  grade  of  corsets,  the  lace  is  tacked  on  by  hand  by  ex- 
perienced operators  so  that  the  stitches  will  not  show.  The  ends  of  the 
trimming  are  also  turned  in  and  stitched  down  by  hand.  Others  are 
tacked  on  by  the  flossing  machines  made  expressly  for  the  purpose.  This 
is  done  more  quickly  by  means  of  this  labor-saving  device.  Formerly, 
when  done  all  by  hand,  a  sewer  could  do  only  a  very  few  dozen  a  day. 
With  the  machine,  an  operator  is  capable  of  doing  at  least  five  or 
six  times  as  much,  thereby  reducing  the  cost  of  production. 

TYING    BOWS. 

Bows  are  used  very  extensively  on  the  corset  as  a  finish  at  the  top 
and  are  sewed  on  through  the  goods  on  the  lace.  Sometimes  it  is  a  part 
of  the  ribbon  that  is  run  through  the  lace.  Others  are  tied  and  made 
separately  and  set  on  by  hand.  The  tying  of  the  bows  is  a  very  in- 
teresting operation  and  in  some  instances  a  machine,  or  small  device, 
is  made  for  measuring  the  ribbon  and  the  bows  are  tied  by  hand;  in 
other  cases  the  ribbon  is  held  at  any  length  desired  and  cut  on  a  ma- 
chine and  tied  by  hand.  They  are  afterward  sewed  to  the  garment. 

END    FASTENING. 

Knd  fastening  is  done  on  the  ends  of  the  lace,  or  anywhere  where 
raw  edges  need  fastening.  While  there  is  a  great  deal  of  hand  finishing 
of  this  description,  machines  are  now  in  use  that  do  Hiis  work  auto- 
matically. 


372  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 


LABELS. 


Manufacturers  usually  have  a  trade-mark  which  is  attached  to  the 
corset.  This  consists  of  a  silk  ribbon  with  fancy  lettering;  at  other 
times  it  is  stamped  on  cloth  or  some  other  material  and  is  sewed  on 
by  hand,  or  gummed  onto  the  corset.  This,  to  many  manufacturers, 
means  a  great  deal. 


HOOKS   AND   EYES. 

Various  kinds  of  hooks  and  eyes  are  used  at  the  bottom  of  the  clasp. 
Some  have  one  and  sometimes  as  high  as  four  or  five  at  the  bottom  of 
the  clasp  to  hold  the  soft  part  of  the  corset  together.  This,  also,  is 
done  on  a  small  press  that  is  made  especially  for  the  purpose. 

LACING   AND   HOOKING. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  corsets,  including  front  lace,  side  lace  and 
abdominal  corsets,  etc.,  which  in  addition  require  laces  put  in,  in  order 
to  hold  them  together.  This  is  usually  done  by  young  girls  with  little 
experience,  as  no  great  skill  is  required  here. 

The  corsets  go  through  the  works  as  a  rule  without  being  hooked. 
When  the  corset  is  finished,  young  girls  are  employed  to  hook  these 
together,  these  having  been  numbered,  each  half  corresponding,  before 
being  sent  for  final  inspection.  The  final  examiner's  business  is  to 
inspect  very  carefully  the  corsets  and  repair  any  defects  from  start  to 
finish. 

BOXING. 

The  corset  is  then  ready  to  go  to  the  shipping  department.  It  is 
then  rolled  and  boxed  in  individual  boxes  except  in  the  case  of  very 
cheap  goods  which  go  into  large  boxes  holding  half  a  dozen  or  a  dozen, 
according  to  the  price  of  the  goods.  The  sizes  have  been  already 
stamped  on  the  corset  and  on  the  outside  of  the  box — as  well  as  the 
style  number  which  is  on  the  tag  that  accompanies  the  garment  through 
the  works.  The  goods  are  then  sent  to  the  shipping  department,  where 
they  are  packed  in  cases,  made  in  sizes  to  correspond  with  the  re- 
spective number  of  dozens  on  the  order.  This  case  is  then  stenciled 
with  the  customer's  name  and  address;  also  usually  bearing  the  maker's 
name,  where  shipped  from,  etc.  It  is  then  sent  to  its  destination 
through  various  channels  of  transit — freight,  express  and  parcel  post. 

SPECIALS. 

The  foregoing  general  idea  of  corset  manufacturing  in  many  cases 
covers i most  numbers;  however,  there  are  several  numbers  which  take 
zones,  i.  e.,  a  shaped  piece  which  goes  around  the  waist  of  the  corset, 
sometimes  to  strengthen  it  and  sometimes  to  make  a  girdle.  Tabs  and 
buckles  are  also  used  in  various  ways  in  reducing  corsets,  abdominal 
supports  and  adjustments  of  various  kinds,  some  of  which  have  be- 
come very  popular.  These  operations  are  done  by  the  more  experienced 
operators. 

Clasp  buttons  are  used  in   various  kinds  of  corsets,  such  as  on   (lie 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  373 


nursing  corsets,  these  to  hold  the  reducing  straps  and  flaps.  These  call 
for  sonic  special  operation,  according  to  the  particular  style.  This  docs 
not  apply  to  many  operations  which  apply  to  corset  waists,  which  in 
sonic  factories  becomes  a  part  of  the  corset  business,  and  are  usually 
made  of  softer  material  with  fewer  wires  used.  In  many  eases  a  soft 
jute  coid  is  used,  which  is  usually  stitched  on  with  a  tape.  Many  of 
the  operations  are  similar  to  the  operations  in  the  making  of  corsets 
proper,  except  cording,  which  is  a  very  interesting  operation,  and  which 
to  do  neatly,  requires  expert  operators.  Cording  machines  vary  from 
one  to  twelve  needles  each.  Multiple  needles  are  used  to  sew  on  the 
wide  strips  with  several  cords  side  by  side,  which  in  some  instances, 
are  slit  died  on  the  outside  of  the  corset  waist  as  a  stiffener,  and  at 
oilier  times  is  a  part  joined  to  the  corset  between  the  sections.  The 
waist  business  is  usually  carried  on  by  manufacturers  who  make  that 
a  specialty.  However,  many  corset  manufacturers  make  accessories  such 
as  corset  waists,  brassieres,  hose  supporters,  belts,  etc.,  of  various  kinds. 

CONDITIONS   OF  EMPLOYMENT. 

With  (lie  sudden  and  extreme  changes  in  styles  of  women's  dresses 
seriously  affecting  that  industry,  a  like  condition  is  found  in  the  corset 
industry.  When  one  style  of  corset  was  produced,  the  industry  was 
not  seasonal.  To-day  many  manufacturers  will  tell  you  that  since  the 
fit  of  the  outer  garment  depends  on  the  style  of  the  corset  \vorn,  and 
since  a  variety  of  styles  must  be  manufactured  to  meet  the  exigencies, 
the  industry  is  becoming,  to  them,  an  alarmingly  seasonal  one. 

The  factories  visited  were,  with  two  exceptions,  in  buildings  erected 
for  their  own  occupancy;  were  well  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  the 
sanitation  was  good.  In  one  of  the  factories,  the  women  working  in 
the  center  of  the  large  work  rooms,  said  that  during  the  afternoons, 
or  all  day  when  it  was  cloudy,  they  were  unable  to  see  except  with 
artificial  light.  This  was  a  strain  on  their  eyes  and  contributed  to  a 
nervous  condition  which  many  of  the  workers  reported. 

The  work  in  itself  does  not  involve  any  physical  strain.  A  number  of 
those  interrogated  reported  that  sitting  all  day  had  brought  on  kidney 
and  bowel  trouble.  Others  said  that  continually  bending  the  head 
over  the  work  in  order  to  save  or  rest  the  eyes  had  affected  both  the 
head  and  the  back.  Another  said  the  continuous:  operation  of  the  ma- 
chine— in  feeding  the  material  in  straight — made  her  arm  ache.  An- 
other said  her  hearing  had  been  affected  from  the  noise  made  by  the 
hundreds  of  machines  operated  at  high  speed.  One  girl  said  the  in- 
side work  had  affected  her  lungs,  which  were  already  weak.  She  spends 
from  75  cents  to  $1  each  week  for  medicine.  Her  father,  she  said,  is 
inclined  to  be  tuberculous. 


374  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY. 

Table  No.  40.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  CORSET  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited  

4 

Establishments  investigated  

8 

Employes  interrogated 

835 

American-born 

617 

74  2 

Foreign-born                                                                                         

215 

25  8 

Living  at  home  
Adrift  

531 

304 

63.6 
36  4 

85 

10  2 

472 

56  9 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  
Working  under  fcyear                                                         

358 
337 

43.1 
40.4 

Working  under  3  years                        .         

577 

69.1 

258 

30  9 

Have  followed  other  occupations  
Under  16  years  of  age  i  

516 
16 
335 

61.8 
1.9 
40.1 

629 

75.3 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

206 

752 

24.7 
90.1 

37 

4.4 

25 

3.0 

21 

2.5 

APPENDIX  0. 


HOSIERY  AND  KNIT  GOODS. 

In  11)0!)  Michigan  had  35  establishments  making  hosiery  and  knit 
goods.  These  35  mills  had  2,545  wage-earners  and  254  salaried  employes 
on  their  pay  rolls,  and  50  were  reported  as  being  girls  under  16  years 
of  age.  At  least  2,170  of  the  total  number  of  employes  were  women. 
The  capital  invested  was  f 3,734,803,  the  value  of  the  product  $4,029,105, 
and  the  value  added  by  manufacture  f  1,982,499.  Michigan  was  in  1909 
seventh  in  the  number  of  establishments  in  the  United  States,  and 
tenth  in  the  number  of  employes. 

As  noted  by  the  tabulations  in  Part  III  of  this  report,  -the  wages  paid 
are  neither  the  highest  nor  the  lowest;  and  it  is  with  general  working 
conditions  as  it  is  with  wages;  the  environment  of  the  workers  are 
neither  the  best  nor  the  worst. 

Only  the  superintendent  of  a  thoroughly  up-to-date  knitting  mill,  of 
which  Michigan  possesses  a  number,  can  accurately  enumerate  in  chrono- 
logical order  the  various  processes  through  which  the  raw  material 
passes  before  it  can  be  shipped  to  the  buyer;  and  no  one  but  a  skilled 
machinist  can  intelligently  describe  the  marvelously  intricate  machinery 
that  has  invaded  what  was  once  an  exclusively  "home"  industry  and 
made  hand-knit  goods  practically  a  commercial  impossibility. 

FROM    THE    COTTON   TO   THE   FINISHED   ARTICLE. 

"From  the  opening  of  cotton  in  the  bale,  as  it  passes  through  I  he 
opener,  first,  second  and  third  lapper,  cards,  and  first  and  second  draw- 
ing-frames— these  several  operations  are  accomplished  through  the 
labor  of  men,"  writes  the  Amazon  Knitting  Company,  of  Muskegon,  to 
the  Commission. 

"These  operations  are  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  the  cotton  of  all 
foreign  substances  such  as  leaf  and  dust,  the  same  being  accomplished 
through  the  medium  of  suction  fans  depositing  the  refuse  in  a  dust- 
room  built  for  the  purpose.  Thus  insuring  the  operators  working  under 
the  most  favorable  conditions  possible. 

"The  cotton  as  delivered  from  the  above  last  named  machine  (draw- 
ing-frame) is  called  a  'sliver,'  consisting  of  cotton  fiber  paralleled  to 
make  a  rope  or  sliver,  but  contains  no  twist.  From  this  point  it  passes  to 
the  several  intermediate  machines,  purpose  of  which  is  to  draw  the  sliver 
and  give  to  same  the  required  twist  necessary  to  final  spinning. 

"The  above  intermediate  machinery  is  composed  of  slubber,  inter- 
mediate, and  roving  machines,  all  of  which  are  operated  by  women. 
Occupation  in  this  department  is  clean,  although  same  involves  the  pro- 
duction of  some  lint  which,  however,  is  not  allowed  to  accumulate  <>n 
the  machinery,  shaft  ing  or  pulleys — men  (not  boys)  being  hired  to  keep 


376  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

this  room  in  a  neat  and  tidy  condition.  The  female  operators  are  re- 
quired to  see  that  the  machines  are  filled  with  spools  of  roving  (the 
product  of  the  operation  just  before)  and  the  doffing  of  the  finished 
product  of  the  particular  machine  she  is  running.  The  operators  are  re- 
quired to  watch  the  machines  and  piece  up  broken  ends,  but  are  fur- 
nished stools  to  sit  on,  and  are  enabled  to  take  advantage  of  same  for 
fully  half  of  their  time. 

"The  product  of  the  above  named  machine  is  called  'roving/  and  in 
its  construction  all  of  the  labor  necessary  to  preparing  cotton  for  the 
spinning  frames  has  been  performed. 

IN    THE    SPINNING    ROOM. 

"The  roving  now  passes  to  the  spinning  room.  There  is  less  lint  in 
this  room  for  the  reason  that  the  cotton  has  been  partially  spun. 

"The  operator's  duty  is  the  replacing  of  empty  bobbins  of  roving  with 
full  bobbins,  and  the  doffing  of  full  bobbins  of  spun  yarn,  and  same  is 
accomplished  by  females.  The  accumulated  lint  on  machinery,  shafting 
and  floor  of  this  room  is  kept  clean  by  boys. 

"From  the  spinning  frames  the  small  bobbins  of  spun  yarn  pass  to 
the  cone  winders  which  are  operated  by  females.  This  machine  con- 
sists in  the  main  of  two  rows  of  rotating  spindles,  one  holding  the 
cones,  and  the  other  the  bobbins  which  are  to  be  unwound.  The  work 
consists  of  watching  the  machines,  replacing  spools,  tying  broken  threads, 
mid  removing  filled  cones. 

"The  workers  must  stand  most  of  the  time  while  the  machine  is  run- 
ning, but  have  occasional  opportunities  to  sit  down  when  the  w^ork  is 
running  smoothly.  Also  they  must  to  some  extent  move  about  while 
tending  the  machine,  which  is  some  alleviation  of  the  strain  of  continu- 
ous standing.  The  work  is  clean  and  the  machine  has  no  dangerous 
features. 

"From  the  winders,  the  coned  yarn  passes  to  the  knitting  machines, 
all  of  which  in  this  mill  are  circular,  producing  a  tube  of  cloth  which 
when  cut  into  suitable  lengths  and  trimmed  with  lace  is  known  to  the 
trade  as  ladies'  jersey  ribbed  straight  vests.  Operators  on  knitting 
machines  must  see  that  broken  needles  are  replaced,  machine  kept  full  of 
yarn,  and  doff  the  completed  rolls  of  knitted  web,  which  does  not  in- 
volve heavy  lifting.  Stop-motions  are  attached  to  these  machines  for  I  lie 
purpose  of  automatically  stopping  same  in  the  event  of  a  broken  thread 
or  imperfect  knitting.  Stools  are  provided  for  these  operators,  who  arc 
females,  and  practically  no  skill  is  required,  as  their  work  can  be  learned 
in  less  than  a  day. 

BLEACH-HOUSE    WORK. 

"From  the  knitting  machines  the  knitted  web  passes  to  the  bleach- 
house,  operation  of  which  is  solely  accomplished  by  men.  After  bleach- 
ing, the  web  is  dried,  and  passes  on  to  the  next  operation,  which  is 
cutting.  This  work  is  done  by  women,  and  is  accomplished  by  the 
operator  laying  the  bleached  web  in  lengths  and  cutting  same.  The  op- 
erator has  to  stand  during  most  of  this  work.  Stools  are  provided. 

"From  the  cutting  tables,  the  cut  web  passes  to  the  sewing  machines, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN\  .177 

and  is  tailored,  tape  inserted  in  the  lace,  folded,  pressed  and  boxed— 
labor  of  which  is  all  accomplished  by  females. 

"The  packing  of  boxed  garments,  and  handling  through  the  warehouse 
is  done  by  men. 

"Incident  to  the  manufacture  of  ladies'  jersey  ribbed  vests  is  the 
manufacture  of  tape.  Operators  in  this  department  are  women  and 
their  duties  are  winding  skein  yarn  on  spools,  and  the  placing  of  these 
spools  on  braiding  machinery,  the  operators  being  required  to  keep 
their  machines  filled  with  spools  and  to  pick  up  loose  ends.  It  requires 
no  skill.  Stools  are  provided  for  the  operators. 

"In  the  lace  department,  the  placing  of  various  kinds  of  yarn  on 
beams  (large  spools)  is  performed  by  men.  The  spools  are  then  trans- 
ferred by  men  to  the  lace  machines,  these  operators  being  women  whose 
duties  require  stopping  of  machines  to  replace  broken  threads.  These 
operators  have  chairs  provided  which  they  occupy  most  of  the  time.  The 
lace  is  wound  upon  spools  by  girls  who  are  seated  during  this  operation. 
These  spools  are  then  taken  to  the  sewing-machine  operators." 

UNDKRWKAR    WORK. 

'•The  knitting  process  is  practically  alike,  both  for  men's  and  ladies'  un- 
derwear," says  the  (Jlobe  Knitting  Works,  of  Grand  Kapids.  "When  the 
yarn  arrives,  whether  on  cones  or  cops,  it  is  wound  on  spools  and  trans- 
ferred to  tlie  knitting  machines  where  the  fabric  is  knit  in  a  tubular  web 
in  the  various  sizes  required  and  in  lengths  from  50  to  200  yards  accord- 
ing to  the  weight  of  the  fabric.  From,  the  knitting  machine  the  fabric, 
after  being  weighed,  is  transferred  to  a  turning  machine  which  turns  the 
web  inside  out.  Next,  to  the  laundry  where  the  fabric  is  either  washed, 
dyed  or  bleached  as  the  case  may  be.  Next,  to  an  extractor  and  then  to  a 
drying  machine  where  the  tubular  web  is  run  over  a  spreader,  in  order 
to  give  it  the  proper  width  required  into  the  drying  machine.  Next,  to 
a  turning  machine  to  be  turned  right  side  out,  and  then  to  a  folding  ma- 
chine, which  folds  the  goods  in  a  flat  fold. 

"The  web  is  now  ready  for  the  cutting  process,  which  is  done  in  var- 
ious ways;  some  by  hand  and  some  by  machinery.  In  our  plant  in  the 
tirst  process  the  web  travels  through  a  machine  which' cuts  the  fabric 
into  proper  lengths  required,  after  which  it  is  transferred  to  the  inspec- 
tors' table,  where  each  length  is  examined  for  imperfections,  and  piled 
up  ready  for  the  marker,  who  marks  the  bundle  from  patterns.  After 
the  marking  process  it  passes  on  to  the  cutting  machines,  of  which  there 
are  several  kinds.  From  the  cutting  table  it  is  tied  up  in  dozen  bundles 
and  passed  to  the  next  department,  where  the  small  pieces,  and  cuffs  and 
ankles  are  added  to  the  bundle.  So  far  the  operations  are  alike  for  prac- 
tically all  kinds  of  knit  goods. 

NEARLY    THIRTY    Ol'KRA'l  lo.\  S. 

"The  following  are  the  operations  on  men's  union  suits:  Cutting,  cull's 
sewed  on,  first  crocheting,  reinforcing,  hemming,  two  needle  button-hole 
facer,  shoulder  straps  sewed  on,  overseaming,  shoulder  straps,  seaming 
on  collarettes,  overseaming  collarettes,  basting,  facing,  seaming,  over- 
seaming,  marking  buttons  and  button-hole  stays,  neck  hangers,  button- 


378  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

holes,  buttons,  tacking,  inspecting,  buttoning,  measuring,  pressing,  fold- 
ing, boxing,  labeling. 

"The  operations  on  ladies'  suits  are  as  follows:  Cutting,  cuffs,  first 
crocheting,  side  seaming,  shoulder  straps,  seaming,  overseaming,  lace, 
second  crocheting,  basting,  facing,  neck  hangers,  button-holes,  buttons, 
tacking,  inspecting,  buttoning,  taping,  measuring,  pressing,  folding,  box- 
ing, labeling. 

NEW  TYPES  OF  MACHINES  CONTINUALLY  BEING  INVENTED. 

"First  and  second  crocheting  are  practically  the  same  operation,  ex- 
cept on  union  suits  there  are  certain  small  pieces  that  we  crochet  first, 
before  the  garment  is  seamed,  in  order  to  obtain  a  neater  finish,  besides 
the  seaming  operation  fastens  the  ends  of  the  crocheting  at  the  same 
time.  This  also  applies  to  the  various  seaming  operations.  The  entire 
process  of  seaming  could  be  done  in  one  operation  except  for  the  fact 
that  we  obtain  better  results  by  dividing  same.  In  seaming  elastic  knit 
fabrics,  you  realize  we  have  a  different  problem  than  seaming  non-elastic 
fabrics,  and  it  requires  the  skill  of  the  operator  to  handle  the  fabrics 
so  we  do  not  get  stretched  seams,  especially  where  the  seams  run  cross- 
wise of  the  goods  or  on  the  bias.  The  first  seamer  trims  and  sews  the 
goods,  leaving  a  raw  edge  and  the  overseaming  is  the  second  operation 
which  covers  the  raAV  edge. 

"Sewing-machine  manufacturers  in  the  last  ten  years  have  been  very 
active  in  fitting  up  new  types  of  machines  for  seaming  up  underwear, 
providing  for  the  elasticity  which  the  seams  require  as  well  as  >to  make 
a  seam  as  small  and  Hat  as  possible  and  at  the  same  time  strong  and 
durable." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEtf. 
Table  No.  SO.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  HOSIERY  AND  KNIT  GOODS  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited 

g 

Establishments  investigated 

13 

Employes  interrogated 

462 

American-born 

388 

84  2 

Foreign-born 

73 

15  8 

Living  at  home 

387 

83  8 

Adrift 

75 

16  2 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  
Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week.                                                                          

130 
301 

28.1 
66  2 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over.                                 \                                             

154 

33  8 

Working  under  1  year     .                                                                                        .            

97 

21  0 

\Vorking  under  3  years                                                                                                      .             

277 

60  0 

Working  3  years  and  over                                                                                                         

185 

40  0 

Have  followed  other  occupations 

362 

78  4 

Under  16  years  of  a^e 

17 

3  7 

Under  20  years  of  age 

211 

45  7 

Under  25  years  of  age 

353 

70  6 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

108 

23.4 

Single.  .    . 

421 

91  3 

Married  

20 

4  3 

Widowed  

17 

3  7 

Separated  or  divorced  

3 

0.7 

Not  reporting  marital  relations 

1 

APPENDIX  P. 


LAUNDRIES. 

Every  town  in  Michigan  of  any  considerable  size  contains  at  least  one 
laundry.  An  industry  once  peculiarly  and  exclusively  a  home  occupa- 
tion, has  been  so  invaded  by  machinery  and  the  factory  system,  that  to- 
day a  considerable  proportion  of  the  washing  and  ironing  Of  clothing 
has  become  a  business  involving  the  use  of  considerable  capital.  The 
tub,  the  Avashboard  and  the  sad-iron  are  replaced  by  the  washing  ma- 
chine, the  mangle,  the  starching  machine  and  the  body  ironer.  There 
is  some  hand  work  bnt  it  plays  a  small  part  in  the  sum 'total  of  the  bus- 
iness. 

As  the  Chinese  laundries  and  the  hand  laundries  play  a  very  unim- 
portant part  in  Michigan,  this  report  deals  entirely  with  motor  laun- 
dries, employing  from  10  women,  which  is  about  the  fewest  number  that 
a  full-fledged  laundry,  can  get  along  with,  to  181. 

In  small  towns  the  laundries  take  all  kinds  of  work  that  comes  their 
way,  including  hospital  work,  but  in  large  cities  they  are  inclined  (<> 
specialize.  Small  metropolitan  laundries,  employing  as  few  as  18,  sit- 
uated in  rooming  districts,  will  take  only  the  shirt  and  collar  trade, 
and  fancy  ironing,  thereby  saving  the  price  of  the  large  mangle.  Laun- 
dries in  the  resident  districts  make  a  special  flat  rate  to  families,  and 
Monday  morning  the  wagons,  the  tops  of  which  rise  marvelously  high 
with  bundles,  are  seen  making  their  house  to  house  calls.  Other  laun- 
dries seek  only  hotel  and  restaurant  trade,  believing  that  the  handling 
of  big  orders  enables  them  to  operate  with  fewer  employes  and  to  count 
upon  a  trade  that  is  less  inclined  to  fluctuate.  The  majority  of  laundries, 
however,  are  prepared  to  handle  all  and  every  kind  of  washing,  even  to 
lace  curtains. 

OCCUPATIONS   IN  A   LAUNDRY. 

In  the  order  in  which  the  materials  handled  by  laundries  are  treated 
the  principal  occupations  for  women  are  listing,  marking,  sorting, 
hand  washing,  shaking,  mangling,  folding,  starching,  dampening,  dry- 
ing, machine  ironing,  hand  ironing,  finishing,  mending,  and  wrapping. 

Listing  consists  in  checking  up  the  contents  of  each  bundle  as  it  conies 
to  the  laundry.  When  the  clothes  are  listed  they  go  to  the  marker,  and 
are  passed  on  to  the  sorter  who  separates1  them  into  their  respective- 
piles  for  the  washing.  Women  do  the  listing  and  marking  and  sometimes 
this  first  sorting,  1  hough  in  large  laundries  this  is  done  by  men,  as  it 
is  the  most  disagreeable  part  of  laundry  work.  It  is  thought  to  be 
dangerous,  but  in  large  cities  where  hospitals  have  their  own  laundries, 
the  possibility  of  contracting  contagious  diseases  is  slight.  In  small 
towns  where  the  laundries  do  the  hospital  wTork,  cases  of  this  sort  have 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  381 

been  known.  In  such  a  laundry,  one  sorter  said  that  after  handling  one 
bundle  her  hands  broke  out  in  some  kind  of  skin  infection.  However, 
the  health  officials  of  most  cities  are  sufficiently  strict  to  prevent  any 
serious  results  to  the  laundry  worker.  And  once  in  the  washing  ma- 
chine the  heat  and  chemicals  used  properly  sterilize  all  articles. 

The  operation  of  the  washing  machines  is  always  done  by  men,  though 
the  hand  washing  of  fine  fabrics  and  flannels  is  done  by  women.  The 
splash  of  the  washing  machines  keep  the  floors  continually  damp,  though 
in  modern  laundries  where  there  are  cement  floors,  properly  drained  by 
grooves  which  carry  the  water  into  troughs  beneath  the  machines  there 
is  no  water  lying  on  the  floor.  But  in  old  buildings  converted  into  the 
use  of  laundries  the  floors  are  water  soaked  and  often  puddles  are 
lying  about.  Even  in  the  modern  ones  there  is  always  a  dampness  in 
the  wash  room,  and  the  odors  and  vapors  from  the  chemicals  make  the 
atmosphere  stifling  in  all  but  the  best  ventilated.  When  the  clothes  are 
washed  they  are  put  into  an  extractor,  which  removes  the  water  by  cen- 
trifugal force.  These  machines  are  usually  operated  by  men. 

When  the  clothes  are  taken  from  the  extractor  they  are  put  in  a  large 
boxed-in  sort  of  truck,  and  pushed  into  the  mangle  room,  where  girls, 
called  shakers,  pick  up  the  pieces  from  the  tangled,  twisted  mass  in 
which  they  leave  the  extractor,  shake  them,  fold  them  and  lay  them  on 
horses  which  are  usually  placed  just  behind  the  mangle  feeders.  The 
shakers  are,  as  a  rule,  either  young  girls  or  foreign  women,  as  the  work 
is  of  the  simplest  nature.  It  involves  standing  and  is  very  hard  and 
tiresome  to  the  arms  and  back. 

THE    MANGLE. 

The  mangle  is  a  huge  piece  of  machinery  consisting  of  many  iron 
cylinders  heated  by  steam.  The  flat  pieces  pass  in  wet  and  come  out  the 
opposite  side  dry.  Mangles  are  of  three  kinds — one  a  mass  Of  cylinders 
that  rise  from  the  feeder's  side  to  a  peak  in  the  middle  and  descend  to 
the  folders;  another  is  perfectly  flat,  and  a  third  descends  from  the  feed- 
ers to  the  folders  in  a  long  slope.  The  iirst  two  kinds  necessitate  both 
the  feeders  and  the  folders  standing  at  their  work,  as  the  height  is 
about  waist  high.  The  third  permits  the  folder  to  sit  at  her  work. 
Properly  guarded,  there  is  nothing  injurious  about  the  mangle  itself. 
However,  it  is  often  placed  in  the  wash  room,  if  the  laundry  is  cramped 
lor  space,  and  then  the  girls  sutt'er  from  the  steam  and  moisture  from 
the  washing  machines.  This  work,  like  shaking,  is  usually  done  by  young 
girls  and  foreigmspeaking  women.  The  feeders  take  the  straightened 
lowels.  sheets,  tablecloths  or  whatever  the  flat  work  consists  of,  from 
the  "horse"  behind  them,  place  them  on  the  canvas  belt  which 
carries  them  into  the  revolving  cylinders.  As  they  come  out  at  the 
other  side,  the  folders  place  them  in  neat  piles,  to  be  taken  to  the 
sorters,  wrappers,  etc. 

The  family  wash,  when  taken  from  the  extractor,  is  carried  to  the 
ironing  room.  The  starchers  stand  at  tables  with  the  starch  mixture 
in  basins  before  them,  and  rub  the  starch  mixture  into  the  articles. 
In  the  newer  laundries  the  starching  is  done  by  machines,  collars  and 
cuffs  are  passed  between  cylinders  that  press  the  starch  into  them.  The 
bosoms  of  shirts  are  placed  on  a  machine  that  forces  the  starch  into 


382  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

them  from  the  wrong  side.  All  this  work  is  done  by  women  and  in- 
volves standing.  These  articles  are  now  ready  for  the  drying  room.  In 
the  small  and  not  well-equipped  laundry  the  articles  are  hung  on  racks 
and  these  are  pushed  into  the  drying  chambers,  which  are  small 
rooms  heated  by  steam  pipes.  In  the  newer  laundries  there  is  an  end- 
less chain  with  suspended  hooks  on  which  the  clothes  are  hung,  and 
which  slowly  carries  them  through  the  drying  room  in  and  out  through 
many  twists  and  turns  between  the  hot  pipes,  bringing  them  out  dry 
at  the  other  end,  dropping  the  dried  articles  into  a  basket  as  they  emerge 
from  their  heated  journey.  The  endless  chain  is  then  ready  for  the  next 
batch  of  damp  shirts  and  collars,  which  are  hung  on  the  minute  the 
last  cargo  is  dropped.  The  chain  moves  slowly,  but  does  not  stop.  The 
clothes  are  hung  on  while  it  moves  on  its  way. 

MACHINE  IRONING. 

Dampening  is  done  both  by  hand  and  by  a  machine  which  consists 
of  a  tank  with  sprayer  around  the  top  of  it,  through  which  the  garment 
is  passed  until  it  is  sufficiently  dampened.  The  collars  and  cuffs  are 
next  fed  into  a  machine  which  is  made  up  of  two  small  cylinders  heated 
by  gas.  Then  they  are  run  through  a  machine  that  turns  and  shapes 
them,  a  machine  moistening  the  edge  with  a  spray  of  steam  and  giving 
them  the  essential  smoothness  that  is  desirable  on  the  edge  of  a  collar, 
and  lastly  a  machine  that  rounds  them  to  the  required  neck  shape. 
They  are  now  ready  for  the  sorter  and  the  wrapper.  Meanwhile  their 
companion,  the  shirt,  has  gone  its  own  separate  way  through  the  body 
ironer  (which  consists  of  two  cylinders  about  two  feet  in  length,  heated 
by  gas),  the  sleever,  the  neckband  and  wristband  machines  and  the 
bosom  press.  The  body  ironer  is  a  heavy  piece  of  machinery  for  a 
woman  to  handle.  After  the  shirt  is  slipped  over  the  cylinder  it  is 
raised  by  a  foot  lever  to  the  cylinder  above,  and  by  the  means  of  an- 
other lever  the  cylinders  are  revolved  till  the  shirt  is  ironed.  The 
sleever,  neck  and  wristband  machines  are  similar  to  the  body  ironer, 
only  smaller.  The  bosom  press  is  broad  and  flat.  The  shirt  is  clamped 
to  it,  a  foot  lever  brings  the  upper  part,  a  heated  surface,  down  upon 
it.  It  is  then  swung  around  while  another  shirt  is  clamped  to  its  op- 
posite part.  When  it  is  swung  back  the  shirt  is  ready  to  be  removed. 
The  finisher  irons  by  hand  any  small  creases  the  machines  have  per- 
mitted to  escape  them,  and  it  is  ready  to  be  sent  to  the  sorter  and 
wrapper.  If  there  is  a  missing  button  or  a  tear  it  is  handed  to  the 
mender,  who  sits  at  a  sewing-machine  with  a  large  Assortment  of  but- 
tons before  her. 

MUCH    HAND    WORK. 

lu  every  laundry  there  is  much  work  that  does  not  come  in  eon- 
tact  with  machinery  after  leaving  the  washing  room.  The  line  waists 
and  muslin  lingerie  of  women  are  starched  mid  ironed  by  hand.  There 
are  a  large  number  of  women  in  every  laundry  known  as  fancy  ironers. 
Their  tools  are  the  same  as  the  housewife's — the  ironing  board  and  the 
iron.  The  nature  of  the  latter  differs  according  to  the  equipment  of 
the  establishment.  In  the  newest  and  best,  electric  irons  are  always 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  383 


used.  In  some  laundries  gas-heated  irons,  smaller,  but  similar  to  those 
used  by  tailors,  are  found.  In  the  small  towns  and  in  a  few  city 
laundries  the  old-fashioned  iron  heated  on  a  conveniently  placed  gas 
plate  is  still  in  use.  In  one  small  town  laundry  was  discovered  a  coal 
stove  heating  the  irons  and  also  the  room  on  a  hot  August  day. 

The  reason  given  by  lauudrymen  for  not  having  electric  irons  is 
thai  when  the  electricity  is  furnished  by  the  city,  if  a  girl  does  not 
disconnect  her  iron  there  is  danger  of  fire.  More  than  one  laundry 
has  been  burned  down  by  this  cause.  When  a  laundry  is  large  enough 
to  install  machinery  to  furnish  its  own  electricity,  this  danger  is  obvi- 
ated as  the  power  is  cut  ofT  when  the  machinery  is  stopped.  Fancy 
ironers  are  usually  middle-aged  and  elderly  women.  The  skill  required 
is  that  obtained  in  the  home.  It  is  one  of  the  few  occupations  where 
the  apprenticeship  is  served  at  home.  It  is  the  work  that  the  house- 
wife, thrown  suddenly  on  her  own  resources,  can  come  to  experienced  if 
she  has  done  her  own  washing  and  ironing. 

Sorting  is  the  assembling  of  the  articles  under  one  mark,  checking 
them  by  the  laundry  slip,  and  giving  both  to  the  wrapper,  who  per- 
forms the  last  rite  of  wrapping  them,  before  passing  them  on  to  the  driv- 
er to  begin  their  homeward  journey.  The  sorter  must  be  a  woman  who  is 
careful  and  quick,  and  with  her  mind  on  her  work,  or  else  the  laundry- 
man  suffers  from  the  irate  customer  who  finds  in  his  bundle  part  of  his 
neighbor's  clothing  while  his  own  is  missing.  The  wrapper  is  usually 
a  young  girl  working  under  the  direction  of  the  sorter,  and  hers  is 
the  fifteenth  operation  that  a  shirt  passes  through  while  in  the  laundry 
building. 

REGULARITY  AND  HOURS  OF  WORK  IN  LAUNDRIES. 

As  the  washing  of  one's  clothing  is  a  daily  or  at  least  a  weekly  neces- 
sity, (he  work  can  hardly  be  called  seasonal,  though  summer,  with  the 
advent  of  white  suits  and  dresses,  brings  additional  work  to  the  laun- 
dry man;  consequently  the  force  is  usually  increased  at  the  approach  of 
hut  weather,  and  decreased  when  the  autumnal  chilliness  drives  the 
wash  fabrics  into  trunks  and  coaxes  out  the  furs.  Out  of  746  workers 
only  nine  gave  "slack  work"  as  the  cause  of  lost  time. 

Tevhaps  the  industry  hit  hardest  by  the  54-hour-a-week  law  for  women, 
especially  the  teu-hour-a-day  limit,  is  the  laundry.  When  a  holiday 
conies,  that  week  brings  extra  work,  for  does  not  the  housewife  use 
more  linen  when  she  ha£  guests,  and  the  master  indulge  in  an  extra 
shirt?  The  laundry,  however,  has  to  do  54  hours  of  work  in  50  hours, 
with  the  possibility  of  a  diminished  supply  of  employes,  for  the  church 
holidays  cluster  around  the  National  ones. 

The  hours  of  work  in  a  laundry  are  usually  from  7  or  7:30  A.  M.  to 
.">::>()  P.  M.,  with  45  minutes  or  an  hour  for  lunch.  On  Monday  morning 
the  employes  arrive  from  7  to  12 — the  mangle  girls  and  starchers  coining 
tirst  and  the  i rollers  later.  On  Saturday  they  leave  in  the  same  order 
from  12  to  r>,  as  their  work  is  finished.  '  A  few,  mostly  fancy  iruiiers, 
<!<>  nut  come  at  all  on  Mondays.  In  the  small  towns  where  one  girl 
dues  several  kinds  of  work,  they  all  come  at  the  same  hour  on  Monday, 
usually  at  S.  and  help  one  another  finish  up  on  Saturday  afternoons. 


384  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

WAGES. 

It  is  difficult  to  discuss  the  wages  paid  the  different  occupations  within 
the  laundry,  as  there  is  a  great  variance,  depending  upon  the  town,  the 
laundry  and  the  work  required.  Mangle  girls  and  shakers  are  paid  from 
f3  in  the  small  town  to  |7  in  the  large  cities.  The  other  operations  arc 
paid  from  |5  to  |15.  All  the  work  is  done  by  women  except  the  washing, 
the  first  sorting  and  some  of  the  ironing,  There  are  a  few  men  who  iron 
the  heavy  goods  such  as  porters'  and  Avaiters'  white  duck  coats.  Some  are 
paid  as  high  as  f  18  and  $20,  a  condition  the  girls  resent,  as  they  say 
they  are  doing  the  same  work  for  $8  and  $10.  In  some  of  the  same  es- 
tablishments the  girls  do  several  kinds  of  work.  When  the  mangle  girls 
finish  their  work  they  do  plain  ironing  or  finishing.  Laundries  usually 
pay  at  a  weekly  rate,  but  some  pay  by  the  hour,  from  10  cents  to  15 
cents,  according  to  the  nature  of  their  work.  When  their  work  is  over 
the  women  leave,  receiving  credit  only  for  the  actual  time  they  are  em- 
ployed. This  custom  is  not  in  favor  with  the  girls,  as  it  sometimes 
means  a  dollar  or  so  less  at  the  end  of  the  week  if  the  work  happens 
to  be  a  little  slack. 

THE   EMPLOYES. 

Laundry  work  is  usually  considered  as  belonging  to  the  unskilled 
trades,  since  no  apprenticeship  is  necessary.  However,  some  skill  and 
experience  is  required  to  be  a  good  fancy  ironer.  The  sorter  and 
marker  have  to  learn  their  work,  though  it  consists  more  in  care  than 
in  skill.  Laundry  workers  have  a  way  of  drifting  from  one  laundry  to 
another,  and  from  housework  to  laundry  work  and  back  again  into 
domestic  service.  Only  a  few  laundries  can  boast  of  an  unchanging  force. 
The  women  are  of  all  ages,  from  14  to  73,  and  of  19  different  national- 
ities. Many  married  women,  especially  widows  and  those  who  are 
separated  or  deserted,  turn  to  this  work.  Out  of  746  interrogated,  111 
were  married,  73  were  widows  and  44  had  been  deserted  or  separated. 

HEALTHFULNESS  OF  THE   WORK. 

The  handling  of  soiled  clothing  seems  at  first  glance  to  be  a  very  in- 
jurious sort  of  work,  especially  as  it  is  done  in  an  atmosphere  of  damp- 
ness and  excessive  heat,  but  the  investigators  of  the  laundries  heard 
very  few  complaints  from  the  workers.  Out  of  the  746  employes  inter- 
viewed throughout  the  State  only  82  or  10.9  per  cent  said  they  found  the 
work  injurious.  As  this  10.9  per  cent  falls  so  noticeably  below  the  govern- 
ment report  of  26.1  for  Chicago  and  29.7  for  the  cities  of  the  eastern 
states,  one  is  led  to  believe  that  Michigan  has  better  laundries  and  more 
considerate  and  humane  employers,  or  else  a  sturdier  race  of  women. 
However,  as  284  out  of  746  reported  illness  as  the  cause  of  lost  time, 
much  of  this  may  be  due  to  the  nature  of  the  work,  even  though  not 
recognized  as  such  by  the  worker,  as  the  proportion  of  illness  is  greater 
than  in  other  kinds  of  employment;  but  this  can  not  be  accurately  de- 
termined, as  the  nature  of  illness  was  not  reported. 

Probably  the  most  dangerous  piece  of  machinery  is  the  extractor, 
but  this  is  almost  always  in  charge  of  a  man  or  a  responsible  woman. 
so  that  seldom  are  there  accidents  reported  from  that  cause.  Formerly 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  385 

ie  mangle  injured  many  women,  but  in  Michigan  they  are  now  all 
well-guarded,  so  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  the  fingers  even  of 
a  careless  girl  caught  between  the  cylinders.  There  is  an  atmosphere  of 
dampness  even  in  the  best  ventilated  and  most  perfectly  drained  laun- 
dries, so  that  many  report  rheumatism  as  a  result  of  the  work. 

The  heat  in  summer  is  a  necessary  evil  that  can  be  alleviated  to 
some  extent  by  proper  ventilation.  Most  laundries  have  installed  the 
"blower,"  but  there  is  still  room  for  further  experiments  in  reducing  the 
temperature  of  a  laundry  in  July  and  August.  Many  complain  of  the 
gas  from  the  body  ironer  and  collar  press,  but  this  is  unavoidable  until 
these  pieces  of  machinery  are  heated  by  some  other  method. 

The  most  universal  complaint  is  that  of  fatigue  and  as  nearly  all  of 
the  work  has  to  be  done  standing,  there  is  nothing  that  can  be  recom- 
mended beyond  improvement  in  the  machinery.  The  body  ironer  is 
operated  by  treadles  involving  the  use  of  both  feet  and  it  is  not  only 
fatiguing,  but  often  causes  sprained  and  swollen  ankles. 

While  there  is  little  welfare  work  done  in  laundries,  three  of  'those  in- 
vestigated had  lunch  rooms  and  nearly  all  sanitary  toilet  rooms.  There 
were  a  number  of  exceptions,  especially  throughout  the  State,  one  small 
town  laundry  providing  for  employes  only  a  wretched  outhouse  on  the 
river  bank  in  the  rear  of  the  laundry.  But  it  is  not  necessary  to  go  to 
the  small  town  for  bad  conditions,  for  Detroit,  although  for  the  most 
part  revealing  satisfactory  and  sanitary  toilet  accommodations,  and  a 
general  regard  for  the  health  of  the  employes,  had  three  very  bad 
exceptions.  One  had  one  filthy  toilet  for  30  girls  in  a  dark  corner  of 
the  basement.  Another  laundry  got  all  its  ventilation  from  little  win- 
dows opening  onto  a  stable.  A  third  packs  its  girls  into  an  overcrowded 
room  with  a  low  ceiling  from  which  the  plaster  had  fallen  in  spots 
and  threatened  to  come  down  on  the  heads  of  the  girls  in  other  spots. 

49 


386  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

Table   No.    51.— SUMMARY   OF   THE    LAUNDRY   INDUSTRY   TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited  

21 

Establishments  investigated  

63 

Employes  interrogated    . 

746 

American-born  

600 

80  5 

145 

19  5 

505 

67  7 

Adrift                                             

241 

32  3 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  
Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  

171 
505 

22.9 
69  2 

225 

30  8 

235 

31  5 

491 

65  8 

255 

34  2 

Have  followed  other  occupations  

499 
11 

66.9 
1  5 

Under  20  years  of  age            '•  

262 

35  1 

Under  25  years  of  age            

475 

64.4 

263 

35  6 

Single            

518 

69.4 

111 

14.9 

Widowed                                     

73 

9.8 

Separated  or  divorced  

44 

5.9 

APPENDIX  Q. 


THE  OVERALL  INDUSTRY. 

In  the  inauuf act nre  of  overalls,  machinery  and  the  specialization  of 
the  processes  necessitates  both  room  and  capital,  hence  the  establish- 
ments are  usually  large,  and  the  employes  many.  Eight  establishments 
were  investigated  and  685  employes  interviewed. 

One  pair  of  overalls  passes  through  the  hands  of  14  employes.  First 
Ihe  material  is  piled  upon  a  long  table  to  the  height  of  108  layers-  of 
the  goods.  The  top  layer  is  marked  by  a  stencil  pattern,  which  has  been 
so  perfected  that  scarcely  a  scrap  of  cloth  is  wasted.-  The  man  operating 
an  electric  cutting-machine  cuts  the  108  layers  on  the  white-marked 
lines.  This  work  is  done  entirely  by  men. 

The  electric  machine  has  supplanted  the  "long  knife,"  shaped  some- 
what like  a  sword,  which  was  apt  to  cut  the  fingers  of  a  careless  op- 
erator. Boys  trim  the  cut  material,  and  it  is  taken  to  the  "give-out 
department,"  where  it  is  distributed  to  the  women  employes  operating 
the  sewing-machines.  One  woman  handles  only  fronts,  joining  them  and 
sti tolling  on  the  pockets — front  pockets,  rule  pockets,  watch  pockets, 
combination  pockets,  depending  on  the  need  of  the  particular  kind  of 
overall. 

Another  woman  joins  the  backs  and  puts  on  the  hip  pockets.  These 
two  halves  of  the  garment  go  to  the  two-needle  machines,  where  the  in- 
side and  outside  seams  of  the  legs  are  put  together.  A  one-needle 
opera  lor  does  the  hemming  and  another  the  tacking  and  putting  on  of 
i lie  suspenders,  which  have  been  separately  made  by  the  young  opera- 
tors. The  operators  of  the  button,  button-hole  and  eyelet  machines  add 
their  contributions.  The  twelfth  operation  is  the  joining  of  the  flys,  and 
the  garment  is  ready  for  the  inspector  and  the  folder,  who  places  the 
finished  garment  on  the  racks  to  await  packing  and  shipment.  All  this 
work  is  piece-work. 

REGULARITY    AND    CHARACTER    OF    WORK. 

The  work  is  not  seasonal,  although  May  and  June  are  the  slack  mouths, 
and  often  the  plants  work  on  shorter  hours.  No  unusual  skill  is  re- 
quired and  the  beginner  learns  to  become  a  capable  operator  in  a  few 
months.  Speed  is,  of  course,  attained  with  experience.  In  the  large 
factories  each  worker  has  only  one  kind  of  work  to  do,  and  it  is  re- 
peated over  and  over. 

HEALTHFULNESS  OF  THE   WORK. 

The  manufacture  of  overalls  involves  no  injury  to  health  where  the 


388  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

rooms  are  properly  lighted  and  ventilated,  and  in  those  investigated  all 
these  requirements  were  adequately  met.  A  few  workers  complained  of 
the  lint  and  some  of  them,  of  the  dye. 

All  the  overall  factories  have  large,  well  ventilated,  well  lighted  work 
rooms,  clean,  sanitary  toilets  and  ample  cloak  rooms.  The  three  largest 
factories  have  emergency  rooms  for  the  ill  and  injured,  and  pleasant 
dining-rooms  having  the  cafeteria  method  of  serving  substantial  noon- 
day meals  to  the  employes  at  cost.  Two  of  the  firms  have  social  secre- 
taries. One  has  gone  to  even  greater  expense  in  the  care  of  the  em- 
ployes. Bathrooms  and  showers  are  provided,  and  the  charge  for  the  use 
of  the  room,  a  towel  and  soap,  is  three  cents.  There  are  laundry  tubs 
where  a  girl  may  wash  her  clothes,  a  dryer  and  ironing  boards,  and 
electric  irons  for  her  use. 

A  rest  room  with  rattan  couches,  easy  chairs  and  magazines  await 
the  nerve-fagged  girl,  so  that  she  may  be  able  to  rest  and  resume  her 
work.  There  are  sewing-machines  on  which  she  may  do  her  personal 
sewing,  should  there  be  a  delay  in  the  "give-out  department,"  and  a 
wait  for  materials. 

WORK  OF  THE  SOCIAL  SECRETARY. 

In  the  reception  room  is  a  cabinet  filled  with  toilet  preparations  for 
sale  at  cost  prices,  and  a  pile  of  daily  papers  are  at  hand  for  the  rider 
on  street  cars  to  purchase  and  read  on  her  way  home.  There  is  also  a 
large,  attractive  assembly  room  where  dances,  parties,  lectures,  etc.,  are 
held  for  the  recreation  of  the  employes.  Classes  and  clubs  are  a  part  of 
the  educational  work,  and  a  library  owned  by  the  company  and  supple- 
mented by  the  public  library,  furnishes  the  girls  with  reading  matter.  A 
monthly  paper  edited  by  the  social  secretary  gives  all  the  news  of  the 
factory  with  insertions  of  helpful  articles  interspersed  with  a  few 
humorous  stories  and  sayings  overheard  among  the  employes. 

In  addition  to  looking  after  the  welfare  of  the  employes,  the  social 
secretary  does  all  the  hiring  of  help,  keeps  tab  upon  them,  sees  that  they 
earn  enough  to  live  on,  and  in  case  'of  illness,  visits  and  advises  them, 
sending  medical  aid  and  anything  else  that  is  essential  to  comfort-and 
recovery. 

PRICES. 

The  prices  paid  for  making  overalls  are: 
Front  pockets — 16c  a  dozen. 
Hip  pockets — lOc  a  dozen. 
Rule  pockets — 4c  a  dozen. 
Watch  pockets — 3c  a  dozen. 
Combination  pockets — 8c  a  dozen. 
Flys — 9c  a  dozen. 

Buckle  straps — stitched  at  each  edge — 8c  a  dozen. 
Hemming  bib  and  suspenders — 7c  a  dozen. 
Felling  bib  and  suspenders — 2c  a  dozen. 
Sewing  bib  with  front — 6c  a -dozen. 
Side-facing  on  back — 5c  a  dozen. 
Under-hem — double  stitched — 4c  a  dozen. 
Sewing  on  back  bands  and  center  tack — 15c  a  dozen. 
Out-seams  and  in-seams — 3c  a  dozen. 
Sewing  from  front  to  fly — 2c  a  dozen. 

Suspender— folded    and    stitched — rubber    inserted    with    loop- 
buckle  and  loop— 13c  a  dozen, 
Hemming  bottoms — 5c  a  dozen. 
Sewing  on  size  figures — Ic  a  dozen,  • 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 

Tahie  No.  52.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  OVERALL  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS. 


383 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited 

3 

Establishments  investigated 

9 

Employes  interrogated 

685 

American-born 

483 

70  5 

Foreign-born 

202 

29  5 

Living  at  home            .». 

504 

73.6 

Adrift... 

181 

26.4 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week 

69 

10  1 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week 

205 

30.0 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over 

477 

70  0 

Working  under  1  year 

147 

21.5 

Working  under  3  years  

330 

48.2 

Working  3  years  and  over  
Have  followed  other  occupations                                             

355 
371 

51.8 
54.2 

Under  16  years  of  age  
Under  20  years  of  age  
Under  25  years  of  age  

\* 

206 
471 

0.3 
30.1 
69.1 

25  years  of  age  and  over  ...           .                                                                     

211 

30.9 

Single  '                                             

4C2 

71.8 

Married  

167 

24.4 

Widowed  

24 

3.5 

Separated  or  divorced  ....                                                                                                      

2 

0.3 

APPENDIX  R. 


PAPER  BOX  AND  CIGAR  BOX  MAKING. 

Paper  box  and  cigar  box  making  are  two  distinct  industries.  Investi- 
gation was  made  of  both. 

There  is  nothing  injurious  to  health  in  the  paper  or  pasteboard  box 
making.  Only  one  machine  exposes  the  user  to  the  chance  of  accident. 
This  is  a  corner-staying  machine.  The  unpleasant  feature  of  the  work 
is  the  odor  and  "stickiness"  of  the  paste  and  glue. 

The  designing,  cutting  and  scoring  are  done  by  men,  the  two  latter 
processes  with  the  aid  of  machinery.  Beginners  start  on  "turning  in," 
and  helping  the  machine  operators.  The  best  grades  of  boxes  are  made 
entirely  by  hand,  and  all  covering,  lining  and  decorating  is  done  after 
the  pasteboard  has  been  manipulated  into  box  form.  The  cheapest  boxes 
are  simply  uncovered  pasteboard,  and  ordinary  boxes,  such  as  corset 
boxes,  are  made  of  cardboard  that  is  covered  before  cutting.  The  best 
grades  of  these,  however,  may  be  covered  by  machinery  after  being  made. 

There  is  a  machine,  used  particularly  for  "rush"  orders,  that  fastens 
in  the  shoulder  or  inner  piece  of  cardboard  to  keep  the  cover  even  when 
the  box  is  closed. 

On  cheap  boxes,  paste  is  used;  on  the  best,  glue.  This  glue  must  be 
kept  warm,  and  it  is  generally  applied  with  the  box  maker's  finger. 

Boxes  may  be  covered  with  various  kinds  and  qualities  of  paper,  or 
with  silk,  velvet  or  leather.  They  may  be  trimmed  with  embossed  labels 
and  bands;  with  bows  of  ribbon  and  embroidery;  or  with  pictures  in 
narrow  brass  frames  which  are  tacked  on  afterward.  Some  are  trimmed 
with  "plastic  trim,"  made  of  putty  and  glue  formed  in  molds.  The 
plastic  is  made  in  a  picture  frame  factory.  It  is  only  applied  at  the  box 
factory  and  then  painted  or  bronzed. 

WAGES. 

In  paper  box  factories  wages  are  low.  In  this  as  in  many  other  in- 
dustries, the  largest  factory,  or  the  one  making  the  highest  grade  work, 
may  be  the  poorest  for  the  wage-earner.  While  occasionally  some  girl 
in  the  small  factory  where  all  the  work  is  of  the  most  ordinary  kind, 
and  done  mostly  by  machinery,  may  make  as  high  as  $12  per  week,  yet 
as  a  rule,  few  of  those  doing  the  best  grade  of  hand  work,  even,  make 
over  $8.50  per  week  after  years  of  experience.  In  one  large  factory  visited 
girls  with  11  and  12  years'  experience  were  receiving  $8.10  for  a  54- 
hour  week.  Those  with  three  years'  experience  averaged  $5  per  week; 
one  and  one-half  years,  $4  per  week.  Girls  reported  that  they  had  started 
at  $2.25  per  week,  and  one  at  the  end  of  three  years  averaged  $5.90  per 
week. 

Accidents  to  operators  on    corner-staying    machines    seem    to  be  due 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  391 

partly  to  carelessness,  and  partly  to  a  disinclination  to  use  the  guards 
provided,  for  guards  reiard  speed. 

.Many  workers  are  paid  by  the  hour.  Most  girls  prefer  piece-work. 
Modern  conveniences  as  to  lunch  rooms  were  generally  absent,  and  poor 
provision  was  in  most  cases  made  to  care  for  the  clothes  in  which  the 
girls  appear  upon  the  street.  The  work  necessitates  a  change  of  dress 
for  the  street,  and  where  there  is  no  adequate  provision  made  for  taking 
care  of  these  clothes,  the  girls  complain  that  it  increases  their  cost. 

In  the  factory  making  folding  boxes  used  for  delivering  suits,  etc.,  the 
girls  operate  heavy  presses,  and  are  paid  by  the  piece,  and  it  takes  a 
steady,  quick  worker  to  make  f  10  per  week.  A  man  receives  for  the  same 
work  f  15  per  week.  For  this  difference  it  was  explained  that  the  men 
were  able  to  do  other  things,  such  as  setting  the  cutters  on  the  presses, 
etc. 

TOILET   FACILITIES   AND   FIRE   ESCAPES. 

In  the  paper  box  making  factories  in  Detroit  toilet  facilities  were  in 
most  cases  less  than  "fair."  In  some  factories  neither  soap  nor  towels 
were  provided  by  the  employer. 

In  one  factory,  where  many  girls  were  working  on  the  fifth  floor, 
there  was  no  proper  provision  for  fire  escapes.  The  materials  used  in 
box  making  are  highly  inflammable,  and  many  girls  spoke  of  the  danger 
in  case  of  fire. 

\Yhere  heavy  boxes  are  made  there  is  complaint  about  the  strain  of 
lifting  them;  but  the  fault  is  with  the  girls,  as  they  lift  at  one  time 
more  than  they  should  in  order  to  make  speed.  This  is  one  result  of 
piece-work ;  no  time  must  be  "wasted." 

Most  of  the  paper  box  factory  girls  live  at  home.  Of  37  interviewed 
in  one  factory,  30  lived  at  home,  five  lived  with  relatives,  and  the  other 
two  lived  with  friends. 

CIGAR  BOX  'MAKING. 

Cigar  box  making  proper  is  done  by  men,  and  only  the  finishing  is 
done  by  women.  This  is  all  hand  work.  It  consists  of  pasting  top  labels, 
inside  labels,  front  pieces,  lining  and  edging  all  around  box  and  cover, 
pasting  "Caution"'  on  bottom  of  box,  and  sometimes  an  extra  strip,  with 
name,  inside  and  outside  the  box. 

Wages  are  low,  and  even  after  nine  or  ten  years'  experience,  a  good 
worker  will  average  only  from  f 7  to  $9  per  week.  It  is  possible  that  one 
or  two  out  of  a  hundred  may  reach  f  10  per  week ;  many  steady  workers 
are  never  able  to  earn  more  than  $6  per  week.  The  factories  visited  were 
open  from  7  A.  M.  to  5:30  P.  M.,  but  piece-workers  are  usually  irregular 
as  to  the  starting  hour ;  some  begin  at  7  o'clock,  and  others  at  8  o'clock. 

In  most  of  the  factories  the  girls  were  "finishers,"  and  took  the  boxes 
just  as  they  came  from  the  men's  department,  doing  all  the  pasting,  each 
on  her  own  set  of  boxes.  In  one  factory,  however,  the  .work  was  sub- 
divided, so  that  some  of  the 'girls  were  edgers,  some  liners,  etc.  Under 
this  system  the  girls  made  higher  w^ages. 

There  is  nothing  about  the  work  to  injure  the  health.  The  factories 
were  generally  well  ventilated.  The  women  may  sit  or  stand,  there  is  no 


392  REPORT   OF  COMMISSION   OF   INQUIRY   ON 

eye  strain,  no  nerve  strain  from  jarring  machinery,  no  danger  of  acci- 
dent, no  heavy  lifting.  Work  is  monotonous,  however,  and  the  hands  are 
always  covered  with  glue.  Still,  no  one  complained  of  the  glue  injuring 
her  skin.  All  said  that  the  hands  did  not  "chap"  in  winter. 

RANGE    OF   PIECE   PRICES. 

The  lowest  price  paid  for  50  boxes  (finishing)  is  50  cents;  the  highest 
price  is  84  cents.  Shells  (edged  only,  not  lined  or  labeled),  21  cents 
for  50  boxes.  The  highest  paid  worker,  a  pasting  girl  making  sample 
boxes,  received  $10.25  per  week.  She  had  been  a  box  finisher  for  the 
same  firm  for  15  years,  was  capable  appearing,  and  looked  as  if  she 
would  be  worth  a  good  deal  more  to  herself  in  other  lines  of  business. 

When  some  of  the  better  appearing  girls  who  were  dissatisfied  with 
their  earnings  were  asked  why  they  did  not  try  something  else  if  they 
had  reached  the  limit  in  that  line  of  work,  they  explained  that  there 
were  others  dependent  upon  them,  and  as  they  could  not  get  $8  in  a 
new  employment  to  start  with,  they  did  not  dare  make  a  change. 

The  usual  plan  is  to  pay  beginners  $4  per  week  for  a  couple  of  weeks. 
It  usually  is  a  matter  of  months  before  the  worker  makes  that  sum  at 
piece-work.  One  girl  reported  that,  she  had  received  $4  per  week  as  a  be 
ginner  for  four  months.  For  the  first  two  weeks  the  employer  also  pays 
the  girl  next  to  the  beginner  a  dollar  extra  per  week  to  explain  the  work 
to  her. 

NO   ORGANIZATION. 

The  girls  in.  box  factories  have  not  organized,  but  in  the  cigar  box  f ac 
tories  they  "stick  together"  better  than  in  some  other  industries.  Once 
when  a  favorite  fore-woman  was  discharged,  all  hands  walked  out  au<] 
stayed  out  until  she  was  reinstated.  A  girl  who  starts  to  work  during 
the  noon  hour  or  overtime,  is  soon  made  by  the  other  girls  to  understand 
that  this  is  not  the  best  way  to  get  along.  In  one  factory,  when  a  new 
pasting  machine  was  put  in,  all  the  girls  refused  to  give  it  a  trial,  saying 
that  it  was  a  "job  stealer."  In  consequence  the  machine  stood  idle  in  a 
storeroom. 

Girls  change  from  street  dresses  to  work  dresses,  and  in  this  way  save 
some  clothing  expense.  Most  cigar  box  makers  take  all  their  money  home 
Moving  picture  shows  on  Sunday  was  the  only  amusement  Teported. 

The  girls  do  not  like  to  finish  the  same  kind  of  box  many  days  in  suc- 
cession; they  prefer  a  variety  of  sizes.  Managers  think  the  girls  could 
make  better  wages  if  they  kept  at  the  same  style  of  box  all  the  time: 
but  the  girls  say  that  some  are  harder  to  finish  than  others,  and  that 
each  girl  should  have  all  kinds. 

The  hinging  girl  is  always  paid  by  the  week  or  the  hour.  Hinges  are 
usually  a  strip  of  cloth,  which  the  printed  edging  afterward  covers,  but 
some  of  the  cheaper  boxes  have  a  brass  hinge  instead,  and  will  not  have 
edging.  Some  of  the  labels  are  cut  on  a  machine,  which  is  the  only  ma- 
chine in  the  girls'  department.  The  girls  using  the  machine  are  time 
workers.  The  covers  are  lightly  tacked  to  the  box  when  they  are  pre- 
pared for  the  finisher,  and  after  the  hinge  is  in  place  the  tacks  are 
pulled  by  a  girl  "tack  puller."  She  receives  about  $4  per  week. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  393 

Table  No.  53.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  PAPER  AND  CIGAR  BOX  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visiled                                                                                   .         

7 

Establishments  investigated                                                                      

18 

Employes  interrogated                                                                           

360 

America  n-born      .                                                                          

296 

82  5 

Foreign-born  .           .     .                                                              

63 

17  5 

313 

86  9 

Adrift 

47 

13  1 

120 

33  3 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week.                                                                   *.  

269 

76  4 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over.                                     .                     

83 

23  6 

Working  under  1  year                                                                           

99 

27  5 

Working  under  3  years                                       ;                                     

214 

59  4 

Working  3  years  and  over                                                                   .         

146 

40  6 

Have  followed  other  occupations                             '                                            

188 

52.2 

Under  16  years  of  age                                                                                             

34 

9.4 

Under  20  years  of  age                                                                                      .                     

198 

55.0 

Under  25  years  of  age 

302 

84.8 

25  years  of  a^e  and  over 

54 

15.2 

Single 

336 

93.6 

Married 

12 

3.3 

Widowed 

7 

2.0 

Separated  or  divorced  .  .  . 

4 

1.1 

APPENDIX  S. 


MICHIGAN'S  SEED  INDUSTRY. 

Michigan's  seed  industry  is  not  of  large  proportion,  yet  it  is  important. 
It  is  distinguished  from  "beaneries"  in  that  the  latter  pick  over  peas  and 
beans  for  food  consumption,  while  the  former  prepare  package  seed  for 
the  market.  In  Detroit  there  are  three  seed  companies,  all  of  which  were 
visited  by  one  of  the  Commission's  investigators.  One  handles  seed  only 
in  bulk,  dealing  with  canning  farms;  the  other  two  prepare  seed  for  the 
farmers  and  general  retail  trade.  The  advertising,  which  is  an  import- 
ant part  of  the  business,  is  done  by  the  seed  houses  through  the  issuing 
of  catalogues  describing  the  various  kinds  of  seed  and  the  method,  soil 
and  time  of  planting.  In  this  industry  there  are  a  large  number  of 
operations,  from  the  printing  of  envelopes  and  packages  to  their  attrac- 
tive arrangement  in  boxes  to  tempt  the  gardener  to  new  experiments. 
These  boxes  are  the  property  of  the  companies,  and  are  placed  by  them  in 
grocery  stores,  the  goods  being  sold  on  commission.  In  addition  to  this 
commission  business,  there  is  a  mail  order  trade  based  on  catalogue  ad- 
vertising. 

The  seed  houses  in  the  State  were  not  visited  as  they  had  closed  by  the 
time  the  investigation  had  extended  beyond  Detroit.  At  the  time  the 
three  Detroit  houses  were  investigated  the  season  was  at  its  height, 
and  212  women  out  of  the  628  employed  were  interrogated. 

REGULARITY   OP  THE   WORK. 

In  all  the  seed  "factories,"  as  they  term  themselves,  the  work  neces- 
sarily is  seasonal,  lasting  from  eight  to  nine  months.  In  August  and 
September,  when  the  "returns"  (unsold  packages  of  seed)  come  back 
and  the  new  seed  is  beginning  to  come  in,  the  girls  are  hired.  In  March 
and  April,  when  each  consignment  has  been  put  in  packets,  packed  in 
boxes  and  shipped  to  its  especial  general  store  at  the  cross-roads,  or  to 
the  neighborhood  grocery,  as  the  case  may  be,  the  girls  are  laid  off  to 
spend  June  and  July  at  home,  if  they  are  young  girls  or  married  women 
merely  helping  out  the  family  fund;  or,  if  dependent  upon  their  own 
efforts,  to  hustle  for  another  job. 

In  the  two  Detroit  companies  handling  a  retail  trade,  only  about  one- 
eighth  of  the  regular  force  are  kept  the  entire  year  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  mail  order  business.  Naturally  in  work  of  such  a  seasonal 
character  the  employes  are  recruited  for  the  most  part  from  unskilled 
workers.  It  can  find  favor  only  with  those  thrown  suddenly  upon  their 
own  resources,  who  must  find  employment  where  no  apprenticeship 
need  be  served.  The  operations  are  all  simple;  each  one  can  he  mas- 
tered in  a  day  or  two.  It  is  also  attractive  to  that  shifting  class  wan- 
dering from  one  kind  of  unskilled  work  to  another,  as  is  shown  by  the 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  395 

table  of  "other  occupations."  Out  of  212  interrogated  almost  two-thirds 
reported  "oilier  occupations,"  and  some  as  many  as  four  other  occupa- 
tions. Only  7.">  out  of  212  said  they  had  done  no  other  kind  of  work,  and 
."»•-'  of  these  were  on  their  "first  job."  Only  one-half  of  those  interviewed 
had  worked  more  than  a  year.  The  Detroit  interurban  cars  enable  the 
daughters  of  farmers  to  go  back  and  forth  daily  from  their  homes  in  the 
country,  and  many  of  these  are  attracted  to  this  work  during  the  win- 
ter months. 

OCCUPATIONS  WITHIN  THE  INDUSTRY. 

When  the  factories  open  in  August  for  the  season's  work,-  the  "re- 
lurns"  are  made  note  of  in  order  that  the  most  salable  kind  of  seed 
peculiar  to  each  particular  locality  or  neighborhood  can  be  sent  out 
another  year;  then  they  are  sent  to  the  top  floor  to  be  sorted  and  put 
through  the  machines  that  tear  the  packages,  separating  the  paper  from 
the  seed,  and  sorting  the  good  or  vital  seed  from  the  unfit,  the  former 
in  be  mixed  later  with  new  seed  and  sent  out  again. 

This1  work  of  sorting  the  "returns"  is  very  dusty.  The  workers,  all 
women,  stand  on  a  platform  or  "stage"  as  they  call  it,  under  a  skylight, 
picking  the  packages  from  trays  and  putting  them  into  the  right  bins, 
the  contents  of  which  are  taken  by  men  to  the  machine  rooms  where 
they  are  fed  into  the  machines  by  girls.  In  the  same  department  with 
the  sorting  of  the  "returns,"  the  old  boxes,  both  the  "walnuts"  and  the 
plain  large  wooden  boxes,  are  scrubbed,  repaired,  revarnished,  relabeled 
and  sent  down  to  the  packing  rooms.  This  work  also  is  done  by  women, 
the  scrubbing  done  entirely  by  old  women  and  those  of  foreign  birth. 

On  the  top  floor,  also  under  the  skylight,  the  bean  pickers  extract  the 
warped,  discolored,  and  undersized  beans  and  peas  as  they  pass  before 
them  on  slow  moving  broad  bands  of  canvas.  This  work  is  done  almost 
exclusively  by  foreigners.  Another  department  employing  women  only, 
is  devoted  to  washing  and  mending  the  canvas  bags  used  for  the  ship- 
ping to  the  wholesale  trade. 

The  seed  is  next  put  in  packages  by  machines,  the  machines  operated 
entirely  by  women.  The  more  expensive  seeds  are  carefully  measured 
and  the  packages  filled  and  pasted  by  hand.  They  are  then  ready  for 
the  shipping  department,  where  the  orders  are  filled,  the  small  walnut 
boxes  packed,  and  the  large  ones  made  ready  for  their  journeys.  In  one 
seed  house  there  is  also  a  printing  department,  where  the  envelopes  and 
packages  are  prepared  for  the  filling  machines. 

WAGES. 

In  one  company  dealing  exclusively  with  the  wholesale  trade,  the  em- 
ployes in  the  bean  picking  department  were  paid  by  piece-work,  making 
from  $5.50  to  $8  a  week.  The  others  paid  the  bean  pickers  a  weekly 
wage  of  $6  the  first  season  and  |7  every  season  thereafter.  The  pack- 
ers receive  a  weekly  wage  of  from  $5  to  $7.  There  are  a  few  piece- 
workers in  the  packing  departments,  and  some  make  as  high  as  $10  a 
week;  but  piece-work  is  said  not  to  be  practical  in  this  work  as  the  or- 
ders must  be  carefully  checked  to  avoid  errors.  One  piece-working  girl 
was  discovered  filling  an  entire  box  with  onion  seed. 


396 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 


HEALTHFULNESS    AND    SANITATION. 

The  handling  of  seed  is  not  necessarily  injurious.  The  dust  of  the 
sorting  could  be  eliminated  by  the  "blower"  method  of  ventilation, 
though  no  factory  had  seen  fit  to  put  one  in.  The  machinery  is  not 
dangerous.  The  packing  involves  standing,  but  there  are  benches  for  the 
girls  to  sit  on  between  "orders,"  and  a  fifteen  minute  recess  is  allowed 
morning  and  afternoon. 

As  in  most  factories  dealing  with  a  seasonal  kind  of  work,  the  seed 
houses  are  not  well  equipped  in  the  matter  of  wash  room  and  toilets. 
One  of  these  factories  was  an  exception  to  this  rule,  in  that  it  had  a 
very  good  wash  room  adequately  provided  with  toilets,  wash  stands  and 
paper  towels.  The  other  two  barely  kept  within  the  law.  The  toilets 
were  of  old  plumbing  tucked  away  in  the  corner  of  storerooms.  The 
only  facilities  for  washing  were  granite  wash  basins  in  iron  sinks  in  the 
work  rooms,  and  roller  towels  for  the  common  use  of  both  men  and 
women. 

Table    No.    64. — SUMMARY    OF    THE    SEED    INDUSTRY    TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited 

1 

3 

Employes  interrogated                                                                                                         

212 

American-born               •                                                                       .                

164 

77.4 

Foreign-born                                                                                             

48 

22.6 

159 

75.0 

Adrift                                                                                                                               

53 

25.0 

53 

25.0 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week                                              

191 

90.1 

21 

9.9 

102 

48.1 

164 

77.4 

48 

22.6 

139 

65.6 

3 

1.4 

107 

50.5 

167 

79.1 

44 

20.9 

Single                                                                 

178 

84.0 

Married                                                                                                  

28 

13.2 

Widowed                                                                                  

1 

0.5 

5 

2.3 

P 

APPENDIX  T, 


ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS  IN  BIG  AND  LITTLE  STORES  IN  CITY 

AND  TOWN. 

In  1910,  according  to  the  United  States  Census  of  that  year,  there 
were  8,268  saleswomen  in  Michigan.  A  few — 93 — of  these  were  "demon- 
strators"; a  few — 177 — were  "sales  agents."  The  remainder  were  em- 
ployed in  stores.  As  there  has  been  no  apparei^t  diminution  of  the  em- 
ployment of  women  in  stores  since  1910,  it  is  probable  that  to-day  10,- 
000  Michigan  women  are  earning  their  living  in  this  manner. 

Following  the  classification  of  the  United  States  Census,  this  report 
differentiates  saleswomen  from  clerks.  Those  employed  in  the  office  are 
"clerks";  those  employed  behind  the  counter  are  "saleswomen,"  whether 
working  in  a  5  and  10  cent  store  or  selling  suits, — and  even  though  the 
first  may  receive  only,  say,  $5  a  week,  while  the  second  (as  in  the  case 
of  one  saleswoman  in  a  Detroit  store  who  sold  $27,000  worth  of  suits  in 
nine  months)  makes  as  much  as  some  superintendents  of  large  establish- 
ments. 

NEED    FOR   DRESSING    WELL. 

The  saleswoman  is  an  employe  who  comes  into  direct  contact  with 
the  public.  The  factory  girl  never  sees  her  employers'  customers.  They 
have  little  interest  in  her,  and  she  has  little  interest  in  them.  Only  the 
telephone  operator  is  on  as  intimate  terms  with  her  employer's  custom- 
ers, though  this  is  by  word  of  mouth  rather  than  by  sight.  The  sales- 
woman, because  of  this  direct  contact  and  because  she  stands  somewhat 
in  the  relation  of  an  agent  for  her  employer,  must  dress  better  than 
women  employed  in  the  mechanical  trades.  The  office  clerk  is  also  re- 
quired to  dress  well,  but  this  is  another  story. 

This  necessity  of  dressing  and  looking  well  requires  the  saleswoman 
to  pay  more  money  in  these  directions  than  is  required  of  most  other 
women  in  gainful  occupations.  This  -necessity  should  be  reflected  in  the 
pay  envelope. 

STORE  TE IMITATIONS. 

If  the  clever  woman  in  the  employ  of  a  large  department  store  has  an 
opportunity  to  advance  to  the  head  of  any  department  and  to  near  the 
top  of  the  salary  list,  the  inexperienced  but  pretty  young  girl  may  be 
tempted  to  choose  the  lower  level  of  life  presented  to  her  in  the  course 
of  her  employment.  "It  depends  upon  the  girl."  At  least,  that  is  the 
way  the  successful  girl,  and  the  employer  look  at  it. 

Many  managers  pride  themselves  upon  the  fact  that  any  girl  suspected 
of  being  immoral  in  her  life  outside  of  the  store,  no  matter  how  well 
she  may  attend  to  her  duties  as  saleswoman,  is  discharged.  It  may  be 


398  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

the  end  of  all  hope  for  the  girl,  but  that  seems  to  be  of  no  concern  to 
such  a  manager.    An  illustration: 

Two  young  saleswomen,  employed  on  the  first  floor  of  a  certain  store 
in  a  large  city  in  the  State,  told  of  a  young  girl  in  their  department  who 
had  been  discharged  for  immoral  conduct.  She  was  getting  only  $7  a 
week,  and  had  been  going  out  evenings  with  men  she  met  at  the 
store.  The  recreation  appealed  to  her,  perhaps  the  suppers  were  needed. 
The  men  became  more  careless,  and  went  to  the  store  to  make  appoint- 
ments. The  manager  discharged  her.  Her  companions  said  that  she 
not  only  did  not  have  a  cent  of  money,  but  that  she  almost  always  had 
to  borrow  a  little  to  manage  to  get  along  until  "pay  day."  They  never 
saw  her  again,  but  she  had  no  one  to  turn  to  in  the  city,  except  these 
men  she  had  met  in  the  store.  In  a  sense,  it  did  not  depend  upon  the 
girl. 

Another  example  that  was  worked  out  to  a  different  conclusion  was 
that  of  a  little  saleslady  in  a  toy  department,  which  was  not  on  the  first 
floor,  and  where  men  had  little  to  attract  them.  She  also  received  $7 
per  week,  and  had  to  economize  on  meals  to  get  enough  to  wear.  She  was 
always  in  debt  to  the  other  girls,  and  always  sick  with  a  cold.  She  paid 
$1.75  a  week  for  a  small,  badly  ventilated  room,  and  frequently  lost 
time  on  this  account.  She  was,  of  course,  not  as  valuable  to  the  firm 
in  her  weakened  condition,  and  could  not  improve  on  her  present 
income.  It  was  not  altogether  aup  to  her  to  make  good"  either. 

The  good  appearing  girl,  with  selling  ability,  has  a  fair  chance  for 
advancement  in  the  millinery  department,  though  the  long  "dull  sea- 
son" in  that  line,  reduces  her  yearly  earning  capacity  to  a  considerable 
degree. 

The  woman  with  the  physique  and  the  selling  ability,  has  good  op- 
portunities to  advance  in  position  and  wages  in  the  ready-to-wear  and 
suit  and  cloak  departments.  In  the  large  cities  it  is  not  unusual  to  find 
saleswomen  receiving  from  $25  a  week  up  to  $45,  and  even  more  in  ex- 
ceptional cases. 

SHIFTING  STANDARDS. 

Conditions  in  stores  are  of  no  particular  standard.  They  vary  per 
haps  more  than  in  any  other  industry  investigated  in  the  State.  One 
large  department  store  may  have  a  social  secretary,  splendid  lunch  anc 
rest  rooms,  a  system  of  instruction  in  selling,  splendid  hospital  room 
with  trained  nurse  in  charge,  and  a  humanitarian  system  of  looking 
after  the  welfare  of  the  women  employes  while  in  the  store,  and  if  in 
need,  outside  as  well,  calling  on  the  sick,  providing  care  in  hospital 
when  necessary,  and  looking  after  the  girls  who  prove  unable  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  store,  and  have  to  be  discharged.  A  firm  has 
even  paid  the  fare  of  girls  found  to  be  pilfering  to  help  out  on  expenses, 
back  to  their  home  towns,  and  seen  to  it  that  they  went  there.  Another 
store,  equally  large,  in  the  same  city,  may  have  none  of  these  helps. 
And  yet  salaries  will  be  no  lower  in  the  former  place  because  of  the  help 
ful  and  healthful  environments. 

In  some  of  the  stores  girls  receive  commissions  on  sales  in  certain  de 
partments,  either  on  regular  sales,  or  on  certain  goods.  The  latter  com 
mission  is  termed  a  "P.  M."  It  is  not  very  clear  just  what  the  letters 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  399 


stand  for,  some  saying  "Premium  Money"  and  some  "Pin  Money."  How- 
ever, it  means  that  the  goods  are  a  little  hard  to  dispose  of,  and  the  girls 
are  rewarded  for  pushing  them. 

Certain  stores,  large  and  small,  have  meetings  of  all  the  selling  force, 
when  all  matters  of  interest  are  discussed.  Some  have  a  "Question 
Uox"  where  suggestions  and  advice  and  inquiries  are  dropped,  to  be 
taken  up  at  the  meeting.  Where  this  is  in  vogue,  all  seem  to  be  quite 
enthusiastic  over  the  plan,  but  many  managers  are  not  in  favor,  con- 
sidering it  but  so  much  lost  time  to  have  such  meetings. 

Certain  stores  send  the  young  cash-girls  and  wrapper-girls  one  forenoon 
each  week  to  the  high  school,  where  they  are  given  lessons  in  English, 
arithmetic,  salesmanship,  reading,  with  talks  on  personal  hygiene,  and 
may  take  up  either  sewing  or  cooking.  Two  hundred  and  eighteen  girls 
from  the  different  stores  in  Detroit  spend  half  a  day  each  week  in  this 
way.  This  plan,  of  course,  is  not  used  in  small  towns. 

CONDITIONS    IN    SMALL   TOWNS. 

The  small  town  merchant  may  be  as  progressive  as  the  one  in  the 
large  city,  and  give  commissions,  and  a  fair  percentage  of  the  sales  as 
wages,  and  he  may  be  quite  the  reverse.  There  is  little  opportunity  to 
become  a  buyer  in  a  small  town  store,  and  wages,  as  well  as  living  ex- 
penses, are  lower.  However,  there  is  usually  none  of  the  terrible  strain 
of  selling,  partly  because  most  of  the  customers  are  friends  of  the  pro- 
prietor or  saleswoman  and  therefore  trade  in  that  store,  while  in  the 
city  the  customers  must  be  largely  hurrying  strangers,  who  are  able  to 
buy  in  any  one  of  a  dozen  stores  nearby. 

There  are  seats  provided  in  stores  for  the  girls  to  sit  on  when  not 
busy,  but  there  is  often  the  complaint  that  if  they  do  make  use  of  them, 
the  managers  soon  warn  them  that  they  will  have  to  take  a  rest  some- 
where else. 

WAGES. 

Some  departments  never  pay  a  good  wage,  though  the  work  is  very 
hard.  The  notion  counter,  or  the  pattern  department,  come  under  this 
head.  It  does  not  require  as  much  ability  to  sell  a  paper  of  pins,  or  wrap 
up  a  pattern,  as  to  sell  a  suit,  nor  does  the  girl  standing  behind  the 
counter  have  to  wear  the  same  grade  of  clothing  as  the  saleswoman 
in  the  suit  or  millinery  department.  But  the  saleswoman  can  become 
quite  as  exhausted  selling  hundreds  of  articles  day  after  day,  and  there 
is  no  hope  of  ever  becoming  really  self-supporting,  except  in  the  most 
frugal  way,  in  many  of  the  departments  of  a  store. 

Instances  have  been  found  where  the  saleswomen  have  been  promised 
commissions,  to  be  paid  at  the  end  of  the  year,  and  have  worked  hard  to 
make  sales,  and  have  never  been  paid  the  commissions.  There  are  in- 
stances, happily  more  numerous,  where  employes  have  shared  unex- 
pectedly in  the  profits  of  the  concern. 

While  some  5  and  10-cent  stores  may  start  girls  at  low  wages,  it  is 
a  fact  that  they  usually  take  the  girl  who  has  had  no  experience 
and  train  her  as  far  as  it  is  necessary  to  sell  their  grade  of  goods, 
when  she  seeks  for  a  better  paying  position.  So  the  "10-cent  store"  be- 
comes in  a  sense  a  training  school  for  saleswomen  for  the  other  stores. 


400  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

They  are  burdened  with  the  largest  percentage  of  "drifting''  workers 
of  any  of  the  industries  investigated. 

Many  of  the  stores  make  gifts  of  money  at  Christmas,  and  the  girls 
in  many  of  the  10-cent  stores  receive  a  regular  increase  of  Christmas 
present  money,  $5  for  each  year  of  service,  and  a  wedding  present  of 
money,  depending  upon  length  of  service,  should  she  marry. 

VACATIONS. 

In  the  upper  part  of  Michigan,  the  vacation  with  pay  is  invariably 
the  rule;  in  the  lower  part  of  the  State,  some  stores  give  vacation  with 
pay,  but  many  do  not.  One  system  which  gave  good  satisfaction,  and 
did  away  with  the  loss  of  time  during  the  year,  to  a  great  extent,  was 
to  allow  each  saleswoman  twelve  days'  loss  of  time  with  pay,  to  be  taken 
at  any  time  and  in  any  way  she  desired.  She  could  be  out  a  day  or 
so  at  a  time,  or  take  it  all  as  a  two  weeks'  vacation. 

Toilet  facilities  in  the  stores,  particularly  in  the  smaller  towns  where 
they  are  shared  with  the  public,  often  leave  much  to  be  desired  in  clean- 
liness, though  they  are  of  good  and  modern  construction. 

To  the  successful  saleswoman  the  store  offers  one  of  the  best  fields 
for  the  wage-earning  woman  to  enter.  For  the  majority  it  is  nothing  but 
hard  work,  long  hours  Saturdays  and  holidays,  and  in  the  small  town 
two  or  three  nights  each  week  and  a  mechanical  politeness  to  unreason- 
able customers,  with  a  hope  that  something  will  happen  to  lift  her  out 
of  it  for  good.  To  a  few  it  is  the  gateway  opening  upon  the  broad  road 
down  the  hill. 

A    NERVE-STRAINING    BUSINESS. 

It  may  have  been  mentioned  before,  but  it  will  bear  repetition,  that 
standing  behind  a  counter  trying  to  keep  up  one's  end  of  the  sales,  is  a 
nerve-straining  business.  As  one  of  the  saleswomen  in  a  large  depart- 
ment store  told  an  investigator: 

"It  is  very  wearing,  you  bet  it  is.  Gets  you  so  nervous 
some  days,  you  don't  know  whether  you  are  standing  on 
your  head  or  on  your  feet.  Girls  are  lucky  who  stay  at 
home.  Girls  behind  a  counter  ought  to  have  on  a  clean  pair 
of  stockings  every  day.  I  couldn't  do  more  than  I  am  doing 
now;  I  have  reached  the  limit  of  my  endurance.  The  floor 
managers  are  after  you.  You  can't  take  a  breath.  It  gives 
you  a  nervous  breakdown." 

Another  investigator,  interrogating  the  saleswomen  in  a  large  Detroit 
department  store,  looked  around  her  and  wrote: 

"When  I  think  of  this  store  I  think  it  is  fine.  I  think  I 
should  like  to  work  right  in  this  store.  I  see  a  big  growing 
place  of  exchange.  I  see  this  automatic  industry,  if  I  may 
call  it  "so,  providing  for  the  all-round  needs  of  its  workers, 
in  order  to  better  serve  the  community. 

"But  when  I  hear  throughout  the  store,  'Cash,  Cash,'  I 
feel  different.  I  hate  to  see  'Cash.'  She's  a  little  human 
girl  under  1G  thrust  out  of  school  into  industry.  You 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  401 

couldn't  possibly  laugh  while  seeing  or  thinking  of  her. 

"And  those  feet — those  tired  feet. 

"And  then  the  kinds  of  things  sold — so  many  useless 
things,  so  many  useful  things,  so  many  things  made  not  to 
endure,  but  to  be  sold.  Such  flimsy,  undesirable  shirt- 
waists and  summer  dresses. 

"Each  girl  is  trying  to  make  a  penny  for  the  firm,  in 
order  to  hold  her  job." 

STATE    REQUIREMENTS. 

One  Michigan  labor  law  provides  "That  no  female  shall  be  employed 
in  any  store,  shop  or  any  other  mercantile  establishment  for  a  period 
longer  than  an  average  of  nine  hours  a  day  or  fifty-four  hours  in  any 
week,  nor  more  than  ten  hours  in  any  one  day. 

"All  persons  who  employ  females  in  stores  shall  be  required  to  pro- 
cure and  provide  proper  and  suitable  seats  for  all  such  females,  and 
shall  permit  the  use  of  such  seats,  rests  or  stools  as  may  be  necessary, 
and  shall  not  make  any  arbitrary  rules,  regulations  or  orders  preventing 
the  use  of  such  stools  or  seats  at  reasonable  times. 

"Xo  employer  of  female  help  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  provide  seats, 
nor  shall  make  any  rules,  orders  or  regulations  in  their  shops  or  stores 
or  other  places  of  business  requiring  females  to  remain  standing  when 
not  necessarily  in  service  or  labor  therein." 

STORE   CONDITIONS. 

The  following  are  samples  of  what  the  Commission's  investigators  re- 
ported on  store  conditions,  not  only  in  Detroit,  but  also  throughout  the 
State.  There  is  a  sameness  about  them  that  makes  it  unnecessary  to  re- 
produce the  report  of  each  individual  store.  One  gives  a  hint  as  to 
dressing : 

BLACK  AND  WHITE   WAISTS. 

"Your  attention  is  called  to  the  rule  in  the  better  stores  where  black 
or  white  waists  are  always  worn.  Can  we  all  agree  to  white  Saturdays 
and  black  the  rest  of  the  week?  At  least,  please  do  not  come  to  work 
in  your  party,  society  or  church  dresses  no  more  than  you  would  wear 
working  dresses  to  parties,  etc.  Your  hair  should  be  in  keeping  with 
plain  clothes — that  is — minus  some  of  the  curls  and  ribbons  some- 
times worn.  They  are  nice  for  parties,  but  not  for  business." 

This  sign  was  posted  in  one  rest  room: 

"If  you  think  that  money  with  holes  in  it  is  good  we  shall  pay  you 
with  it  and  see  how  good  it  is  when  you  try  to  pass  it  elsewhere." 

The  rest  room  is  described  as  follows: 

"Rest  room  in  basement,  cement  floor,  dirty,  no  ventilation  except 
when  door  of  rest  room  opening  in  stock  room  is  left  open.  Toilet 
room  used  by  girls  opens  off  from  this  small  rest  room.  The  only 
furniture  in  the  room  is  three  wooden  chairs. 

51 


402  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

PUBLIC  USE  GIRLS'  TOILET. 

Department  Store. — Floor  space  used,  first  floor  and  basement;  seats 
provided  and  use  permitted;  closets  in  basement,  these  were  not  kept 
in  a  sanitary  condition;  general  public  permitted  use  of  toilet;  one 
wash  basin,  not  often  clean ;  one  roller  towel  provided  daily,  not  clean 
at  time  of  visit  of  investigator;  no  women  of  loose  character  knowingly 
employed.  Manager  said  that  the  girls  employed  in  certain  departments 
and  girl  apprentices  were  not  getting  as  much  pay  as  they  will  receive 
later;  that  he  was  going  to  arrange  a  bonus  system;  said  they  preferred 
to  employ  girls  living  at  home,  although  they  did  not  have  a  rule  re- 
quiring that  none  but  girls  living  at  home  or  with  relatives  be  given 
employment.  Firm  does  not  interfere  with  the  outside  associations  of 
the  girls  if  they  can  sell  goods;  believes  that  late  hours  have  a  bad 
effect  on  the  workers  the  day  following;  offers  bonus  or  commissions 
at  certain  times  in  the  year  to  any  girl  who  increases  the  amount  of 
her  sales  over  those  of  any  previous  week;  have  no  benefit  organiza- 
tion; no  school  of  instruction. 

THIS    FIRM    DISCUSSES    BUSINESS    METHODS    WITH    EMPLOYES. 

This  department  store  consists  of  three  floors  and  basement.  This  firm 
said  they  preferred  to  employ  girls  who  live  at  home  and  this  was  one 
of  the  first  questions  asked  an  applicant  for  position.  Will  not  permit 
women  or  girls  whom  they  know  to  be  of  loose  character  in  their  em- 
ploy; girls  are  told  they  may  stay  as  long  as  they  keep  straight.  One 
of  the  managers  explained  that  they  were  going  to  place  their  sales- 
women on  a  commission  basis  within  a  very  short  time.  The  girl  re- 
ceiving |6  per  week  would  be  expected  to  sell  $100  worth  of  merchandise; 
as  she  increased  her  sales  her  earnings  would  be  increased  correspond- 
ingly. 

This  firm  had  no  organized  benefit  association;  no  school  of  in- 
struction; the  manager  said  that  at  certain  intervals  the  employes  were 
invited  to  remain  after  closing  hours  to  partake  of  a  supper  provided 
by  the  firm,  and  to  discuss  business  methods;  the  employes  were  en- 
couraged to  ask  questions  and  the  firm  hoped  in  this  way  to  create  and 
stimulate  an  interest  in  their  business. 

None  of  the  employes  who  had  previous  appointments  were  made  to 
remain  to  the  supper,  but  it  was  the  general  impression  throughout 
the  store  that  it  was  best  to  remain. 

The  toilets  were  located  on  the  top  floor;  well  ventilated;  adequate 
washing  facilities  were  provided.  The  toilets  for  the  use  of  the  custo- 
mers were  entirely  separate  from  those  provided  for  the  use  of  the 
women  employes.  Seats  are  provided  and  the  girls  were  permitted  to 
use  them  when  not  waiting  on  customers. 

THREE   TOILET    CRITICISMS. 

In  regard  to  the  toilet  (in  a  5  and  10-cent  store),  all  the  girls  at  first 
interviewed  said  it  was  dreadful.  By  the  time  I  got  around  to  seeing 
it  (says  the  investigator),  it  was  fixed.  One  girl  said  that  one  toilet 
did  not  flush  for  three  mouths,  and  the  other  smelled  so  you  couldn't 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  403 

stand  it.  After  it  was  fixed  this  sign  was  put  up  one  night:  "This 
toilet  is  for  ladies.  If  you  art*  not  one  do  not  use  same." 

The  toilet  (in  a  small  city  store)  is  on  the  first  floor  and  is  all 
right,  although  there  is  no  toilet  paper.  Torn  tissue  paper  lies  on  the 
floor  to  be  used. 

The  toilet  (in  a  small  city  store)  is  in  the  basement.  Clean,  but  dark 
and  musty.  One  stumbles  over  boards  in  getting  to  it.  The  towels  are 
dirty.  There  are  not  enough  of  them,  even  for  the  few  workers.  One 
girl  told  me  that  the  ventilation  is  very  bad  in  winter.  Store  is  close. 
Smells  bad  when  you  come  in  in  the  morning. 

UP  TO  DATE. 

On  the  ninth  floor  of  this  department  store,  with  over  a  thousand 
employes,  is  a  rest  room — couches,  chairs,  tables,  books — fine  in  every 
way.  There  is  also  an  educational  room,  with  an  educational  secretary. 
Every  girl  comes  to  a  class  every  week.  The  secretary  teaches  them 
salesmanship — all  the  things  they  need  to  know  in  a  business  way,  and 
in  dealing  with  customers,  and  personal  matters.  Every  girl  comes  to 
her  for  instruction  except  the  cash-girls  and  the  little  inspectors.  These 
under  16  years  of  age  are  compelled  to  attend  the  Cass  Technical  School 
one  morning  a  week. 

The  firm  considers  the  educational  work  done  this  last  year  a  fine 
thing  for  it  financially.  The  store  has  added,  since  last  June,  2,000 
charge  accounts,  due  to  increased  efficiency  of  service,  coming  to  a  large 
extent  from  the  educational  training  given  the  sales  force. 

The  firm  hires  a  trained  nurse.  The  girls  are  free  to  go  to  her  at  any 
time.  They  can  also  get  excused  by  the  head  of  the  department  in 
which  they  work,  and  go  to  the  rest  room  and  rest.  The  nurse  finds  that 
since  Saturday  night  closing  the  girls  are  much  better  in  health — "twice 
as  well,"  she  puts  it. 

IMPROVEMENTS  NEEDED   HERE. 

The  girls  in  the  basement  and  on  the  first  floor  (this  is  not  a  de- 
partment store)  use  a  toilet  in  the  basement.  It  is  dark,  and  not 
ventilated.  One  girl  said  it  was  very  disagreeable  to  go  in  there  and 
get  a  drink,  because  at  times  the  odor  was  so  bad.  The  lockers  used  by 
the  girls  on  the  first  floor  are  right  there.  Separate  towels  are  fur- 
nished the  girls.  The  first  time  I  visited  the  store  there  was  no  paper 
in  the  toilet  room,  and  no  liquid  soap  in  any  holder;  there  was  a 
solitary  dirly  towel.  The  second  time  I  was  there  there  was  paper  and 
snap. 

The  basement  is  not  ventilated.  There  are  two  ventilating  shafts, 
but  they  are  in  partitioned-off  corners,  and  are  full  of  merchandise.  No 
daylight — nothing  but  electric  lights.  The  rest  room,  on  the  fourth 
floor,  it  seemed  to  me,  was  neither  quiet  nor  restful.  The  girls  used  it 
very  little,  except  at  lunch  time. 

MUST  LIVE  AT  HOME. 

This  store  is  well  located;  first  floor  only  used  for  store  purposes;  well 
lighted  and  well  ventilated;  proper  toilet  facilities;  general  public  per- 


404  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

mitted  to  use  toilet  upon   request;   provided  with   clean  towel  every 
other  day. 

Manager  told  the  investigator  that  he  always  asked  the  girl  appli- 
cant for  a  position  if  she  lived  at  home  or  with  relatives;  will  not  em- 
ploy them  if  they  are  entirely  self-supporting;  told  of  two  girls  who  had 
recently  applied  for  and  had  been  given  a  position;  they  told  him  that 
they  were  living  with  an  aunt.  He  said  that  the  girls  knew  of  his  rule 
never  to  employ  girls  who  lived  away  from  home  influence.  He  found 
later  that  the  girls  were  living  at  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  and  in  order  to  make 
both  ends  meet  were  ringing  up  but  a  part  of  the  amount  of  their 
sales,  and  slipping  the  balance  into  their  shoes.  The  girls  were  from  a 
neighboring  city,  and  upon  promising  to  return  to  their  homes  they  were 
released  without  prosecution.  He  admitted  that  girls  could  not  afford 
to  work  for  the  wages  they  could  offer  unless  they  were  living  at  home. 
He  used  to  have  a  school  of  instruction  every  two  weeks,  but  the  girls 
were  getting  along  so  nicely  now  that  there  is,  in  his  judgment,  no 
longer  a  need  to  continue  the  school. 

WAGES   DEPEND   ON   PROFITS    SHOWN. 

The  first  floor  only  in  this  store  is  used  for  selling  purposes.  It  is 
well  lighted  and  ventilated;  stools  provided  and  their  use  permitted; 
floor-woman  sees  that  the  girls  keep  their  department  counters  in  pre- 
sentable condition,  and  well  supplied  with  stock.  Girls  are  not  permit- 
ted to  leave  their  counters  to  go  to  the  toilet  or  for  a  drink,  which  is 
kept  in  the  basement,  without  first  receiving  permission  from  the  floor- 
woman  or  the  manager. 

The  manager  told  the  investigator  that  they  were  instructed  from  the 
main  office  to  raise  the  wages  of  the  girls  as  soon  as  they  showed  effi- 
ciency; he  said  that  the  salaries  of  the  managers  depended  on  profits 
shown,  which  has  had  a  tendency  to  keep  down  wages  until  the  mini- 
mum wage  agitation  in  the  different  states  began. 

The  basement  is  dark  and  damp ;  toilet  and  combination  rest  and  lunch 
room  are  located  in  the  basement ;  toilet  is  located  near  outside  window, 
thus  local  ventilation  is  provided;  toilet  was  not  kept  in  sanitary  condi- 
tion owing  to  the  condition  of  the  plumbing;  not  enough  flush  to  prop- 
erly clean  the  bowl. 

"REST  ROOM"  UNDER  SIDEWALK. 

There  is  no  welfare  work  whatever  done  in  this  department  store. 
They  have  a  room  called  "rest  room  and  lunch  room."  In  reality  it  is 
neither.  There  is  a  long  table  covered  with  white  oilcloth,  with  benches 
on  either  side  of  it,  where  the  girls  can  eat  their  cold  lunches.  There 
is  a  sagging  couch  in  the  corner  where  a  girl  can  lie  down  if  she  feels 
very  ill,  but  she  can  not  rest.  The  room  is  under  the  sidewalk,  and  over- 
head is  the  continual  tramp  of  feet  of  customers  passing  in  and  out 
of  the  main  door.  The  room  has  no  means  of  ventilation,  and  flies  are 
buzzy  and  numerous.  The  building  is  new.  The  toilets  are  satisfactory. 
The  girls  are  provided  with  stools  behind  the  counter,  and  they  may 
sit  down  if  there  is  no  customer  on  their  side  of  the  store. 

There  is  no  system  of  raising  the  girls'  wages  either  by  per  cent  on 
their  sales  or  by  length  of  service.  A  girl  has  to  beg  for  a  raise,  and  when 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  405 

she  gets  tired  asking  she  quits.  With  only  one  exception,  that  of  the 
assistant  buyer,  no  girl  had  been  employed  in  the  store  over  six  years, 
and  the  majority  of  them  had  been  there  less  than  two  years. 

HOW   ONE   STORE  IS   MANAGED. 

One  linn,  at  the  request  of  Miss  Burton,  Secretary  of  the  Commission, 
furnished  the  following  brief  outline  of  that  store's  organization : 

We  have  fixed  a  minimum  wage  of  $8  for  salesladies  of  twenty- 
one  years  and  over.  We  require  that  the  applicants  shall  have  com- 
pleted the  eighth  grade  or  its  equivalent,  and  that  their  physical  con- 
dition is  such  as  to  guarantee  their  fitness  for  the  position. 

All  applicants  are  required  to  file  a  written  application,  giving 
at  least  three  business  references  (firms  they  have  worked  for)  also 
three  personal  references  other  than  relatives.  By  these  applications 
we  determine  whether  or  not  they  are  dependent  upon  themselves  for 
support  entirely  or  in  part. 

All  applicants  are  required  to  take  instruction  in  our  school  of 
store  system,  where  we  train  them  in  the  routine  of  store  work  in- 
cluding every  transaction  which  they  will  be  required  to  handle  as 
employes.  The  applicants  who  cannot  pass  this  school  of  instruc- 
tion are  rejected  on  the  grounds  that  if  they  cannot  handle  their 
work  in  the  schoolroom  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  succeed 
either  for  themselves  or  for  us.  When  the  applicants  leave  the  school- 
room they  are  assigned  to  certain  departments.  This  assignment  is 
based  upon  their  past  experience  and  their  showing  in  the  school  of 
instruction.  Their  salaries  are  also  gauged  by  these  two  standards. 

Our  store  is  divided  into  fifty  departments.  There  is  a  certain  sell- 
ing percentage  fixed  in  each  of  these.  For  example:  In  five  per  cent 
departments  a  saleslady  at  $8  per  week  is  required  to  sell  $160.  If, 
however,  this  saleslady  averages  $180  per  week  her  salary  is  then  in- 
creased to  $9.  If  by  her  experience  and  aggressive  work  she  can  again 
increase  her  sales  to  an  average  of  $200  per  week  her  salary  is  in- 
creased to  $10.  This  puts  every  sales-person  in  our  employ  upon  a 
fair  and  just  footing  and  they  share  with  us  fairly  their  increase  in 
sales. 

In  addition  to  the  school  of  instruction,  we  have  lectures  on  store 
system  and  salesmanship.  These  lectures  are  held  in  the  morning 
during  business  hours  and  our  employes  attend  in  classes  averaging 
from  sixty  to  o.ne  hundred  twenty-five.  This  gives  an  opportunity  to 
reach  all  our  people  without  requiring  them  to  stay  after  closing  hours. 
In  cases  where  it  is  necessary  to  address  the  entire  force,  we  close  the 
store  twenty  or  twenty-five  minutes  early.  Employes'  instructions  are 
given  on  the  time  of  the  firm.  Our  employes  are  not  required  to  give 
their  hours  of  recreation  to  a  study  of  store  system  and  policies. 

Our  store  has  provided  a  girls'  rest  room;  a  light,  roomy,  airy,  place 
situated  on  the  sixth  floor,  away  from  the  noise  and  confusion.  Ad- 
joining this  are  the  lavatories,  also  employes  restaurant  where  we 
serve  to  the  ladies  of  the  organization  at  less  than  cost.  These 
rooms  are  open  only  to  the  girls  and  ladies  employed. 

Our  trained  nurse  is  constantly  in  attendance,  with  her  head- 
quarters in  the  employes'  rest  room  where  she  is  always  available 
for  consultation  or  medical  attention  to  the  employes  of  the  firm. 
We  have  also  provided  a  hospital  room  in  which  emergency  cases 
are  cared  for. 

The  locker  room  for  girls  and  ladies  is  in  an  entirely  different 
building  than  that  of  the  men  and  is  reached  by  a  separate  entrance. 
In  fact,  we  have  thrown  about  the  women  of  this  store  every  protec- 
tion possible.  It  has  been  our  aim  and  desire  to  make  this  store  a  de- 
sirable place  for  young  women  to  work. 


406 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

Table  No.  55.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  STORE  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited  •.  

22 

Establishments  investigated 

155 

Employes  interrogated 

2,148 

American-born           .                                                                                  .                

1,879 

87  5 

Foreign-born  

269 

12  5 

Living  at  home  

1,551 

72  2 

Adrift 

597 

27  8 

608 

28  3 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week 

1,221 

57  2 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over                                                                                   

913 

42  8 

Working  under  1  year                                                                         

494 

23  0 

Working  under  3  years         .                                   

1,083 

50.4 

1,065 

49  6 

1,125 

52  4 

Under  1  6  years  of  age  

48 

2.2 

Under  20  years  of  age                                                                                             

631 

29.4 

Under  25  years  of  age                                                                                            

1,213 

57.5 

25  years  of  age  and  over                                                                       

895 

42.5 

Single 

1,697 

79.1 

Married  •  
Widowed  

200 
170 

9.3 

8.0 

Separated  or  divorced  (3  not  reporting)                                                                          

78 

3.6 

APPENDIX  U. 


WORKING  CONDITIONS  OF  TELEPHONE  OPERATOKS. 

The  telephone  business  is  run  to  pay  interest  on  money  invested  and 
dividends  on  stock.  The  people  engaged  to  carry  out  its  policies  are  not 
free  to  follow  humanitarian  impulses.  They  are  hired  to  make  this 
big  machine  work,  and  they  keep  their  jobs  "according  to  their  ability" 
to  do  what  they  are  expected  to  do.  So  the  kindest-hearted  man  or 
woman  in  the  world  cannot  raise  wages  or  shorten  hours,  when  he  is  em- 
ployed to  make  money  returns  on  the  investment  of  the  stockholders. 

The  kindness  and  big-heartedness  of  the  people,  and  the  general  co- 
operative spirit  found  in  the  telephone  service,  are  the  fine  things. 

While  interviewing  the  girls  in  a  Detroit  telephone  exchange,  one  of 
the  head  men  asked  the  Commission's  investigator  to  be  careful  what 
was  said  to  the  girls;  not  to  make  them  discontented  with  the  pay  or 
1he  hours.  He  said  the  company  could  not  give  the  girls  more,  or  shorten 
their  hours,  with  present  rates.  He  believes  in  welfare  work;  he  would 
like  to  extend  that,  and  have  a  roof  garden. 

SCHEMES   TO   PROCURE   OPERATORS. 

The  company  has  advertised  a  great  deal  in  the  newspapers  for  girls. 

In  1913  it  spent  $1,598.15  advertising  in  Detroit  newspapers.  Besides 
this  it  paid  six  solicitors  to  go  around  just  for  Detroit  exchanges,  asking 
girls  to  take  up  telephone  work.  It  paid  these  girls  and  gave  them 
1  Minuses  besides  on  the  girls  they  procured.  Operators,  too,  were  asked 
to  procure  girls,  and  were  given  bonuses.  If  an  operator  got  a  girl  to 
come,  and  she  stayed  two  months,  the  operator  got  $3.  In  one  exchange 
the  operators  got  2GG  girls,  of  which  163  stayed  the  required  time.  To 
procure  these  163  girls  the  company  paid  in  bonuses  $489  for  one  ex- 
change only. 

hi  January,  1913,  the  company  started  another  bonus  scheme.  It  con- 
tinued until  September,  1913.  This  scheme  promised  the  girl  who  was 
getting  the  minimum  pay  ($25  a  month  at  that  time),  $25  extra  if  she 
slaved  a  year. 

When  April  came  it  increased  the  minimum  pay  to  $28  a  month  and 
continued  the  bonus  system.  But  in  September  it  discontinued  the 
bonus  system,  and  increased  the  general  pay  roll,  raising  the  minimum 
pay  to  $1.10  a  day. 

The  following  table  illustrated  the  necessity  for  raising  the  wages,  in 
oider  to  keep  the  girls,  and  so  improve  the  service.  For  notwithstanding 
the  training  a  girl  gets  at  the  company's  school,  no  operator  is  thoroughly 
competent  at  a  switch-board  until  she  has  served  three  months: 


408 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Table   No.   56.— TABULATION   OF   NEW   TELEPHONE   GIRLS. 


Entered. 

Discharged. 

Experienced. 

New. 

Received 
bonus. 

Not  entitled 
to  receive 
bonus. 

January                                    .... 

165 

118 

60 

58 

24 

9-J 

February  
March  
April  

123 
138 
151 

86 
102 
106 

45 
40 
44 

41 
62 
62 

25 
17 
30 

14 
19 
15 

May  

147 

94 

16 

78 

44 

g 

June 

223 

154 

49 

105 

47 

99 

From  May,  19.13,  to  May,  1914,  there  had  been  engaged  for  the  serv- 
ice 1,925  girls.  Of  these  1,329  had  never  before  worked,  and  569  had. 

The  average  time  a  girl  stays  in  the  service  is  from  18  to  22  months. 
The  fact  that  many  stay  not  longer  than  three  months  brings  down  the 
average.  And  also,  in  figuring  the  averages,  the  fact  that  many  of  the 
girls  who  re-enter  have  had  some  previous  experience,  is  not  taken  into 
account.  They  re-enter  as  new,  with  the  minimum  pay,  or  sometimes 
with  some  time-credit.  If  a  girl  worked  six  months  before,  she  re-enters 
under  the  three  months  schedule. 

There  wrere  on  the  pay  roll,  July  4,  1914,  some  2,117  local  operators, 
38  of  whom  were  public  pay  station  operators.  There  were  also  110 
long  distance  operators.  In  all,  2,227  girls.  Of  these,  1,925  were  hired 
in  the  last  twelve  months. 

July  being  the  time  for  girls  to  take  their  vacations,  117  were  away; 
117  schoolgirls  took  their  places.  It  has  since  transpired  that  all  of 
these  permanently  left  school,  in  order  to  keep  up  the  family  purse, 
which  suffered  from  the  non-employment  of  the  men. 

With  work  slack,  and  with  so  many  men  out  of  work,  thus  compelling 
their  daughters  to  seek  jobs,  the  telephone  company  in  1914  inserted  in 
the  newspapers  an  "ad"  only  half  the  size  of  the  one  used  in  1913.  No 
bonuses  are  offered  and  no  solicitors  are  being  paid.  The  company  gets 
all  the  girls  it  wants  and  can  pick  and  choose. 

REQUIREMENTS. 

In  Detroit  the  company  is  very  careful  not  to  take  a  girl  without 
her  working  paper  unless  they  are  sure  she  is  16.  It  desires  girls 
between  the  ages  of  16  and  25.  Girls  are  quick  to  learn  and  act  at  that 
age.  Many  of  the  girls  who  enter  are  very  young,  many  16,  very  many 
17.  Girls  under  16  are  not  much  good.  They  can't  work  after  six 
o'clock,  .and  are  not  capable  of  doing  heavy  day  work.  They  are  not 
taken,  except  when  necessary,  as  in  1913,  when  the  service  was  so  rushed. 

Older  women  are  not  desired.  They  are  not  quick  enough,  but  they 
are  taken  to  fill  the  ranks  and  to  do  night  work.  The  law  prohibits  any 
girl  under  18  from  working  after  10  P.  M.  Therefore,  older  women  must 
be  used.  The  women  need  the  extra  10  cents  given  to  night  wrorkers, 
and  need  the  work  badly  enough  to  take  it. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  400 

HEALTH    AND    EDUCATION. 

When  one  enters  the  school  or  the  service,  there  is  no  examination. 
They  have  to  answer  a  couple  of  questions  on  the  application  blank. 
The  service  is  trying  now  not  to  take  a  girl  who  is  apt  to  develop  a 
goitre,  but  otherwise — so  great  is  the  demand  for  girls — no  effort  is 
made  at  all  to  protect  the  girl  against  possible  injury  to  herself.  Efforts 
are  made  to  keep  out  the  "undesirable"  girls,  but  the  thing  that  raised 
the  standard  was  the  increase  in  pay.  Not  much  is  required  in  the  way 
of  an  education.  A  plain  enunciation  is  demanded,  and  enough  of  an 
education  to  do  the  school  work.  Girls  are  turned  away  who  cannot 
spell  "yes"  and  "no."  Some  blanks  were  examined.  "Yes"  is  spelled 
"Yess,".  "Yass,"  "Yas,"  "Yeas,"  etc.  On  one  blank  it  was  spelled  three 
different  ways,  all  of  them  wrong.  The  girl  was  17  and  in  the  eighth 
grade.  "No"  is  spelled  "know"  and  "now."  One  blank  was  made  out 
this  way:  What  is  your  general  condition  of  health?  "Oridgt"  (all 
right). 

Girls  like  this  are  turned  away. 

THE   SCHOOL. 

The  school  is  most  interesting.  One  woman  not  only  receives  all  ap- 
plicants and  supplies  all  vacancies  throughout  the  different  exchanges, 
but  also  has  charge  of  the  school.  Twelve  teachers  are  employed.  The 
largest  number  of  girls  in  the  school  at  one  time  is  110  to  115. 

New  girls  are  coming  in  every  day.  In  order  to  appreciate  the  school 
one  would  have  to  see  it.  And  if  you  should  see  it  you  would  certainly 
admire  the  wonderful  patience  and  ability  of  the  teachers.  You  would 
be  impressed  by  the  faces  of  the  little  girls  learning  to  be  those  in- 
visible operators  called  "Central."  When  you  say  "Central,  give  me  Main 
2359"  and  Central  repeats  "twoj  three,  fi-of,  ni-en?"  what  do  you  see? 
Do  you  see  a  young  girl  thrust  out  to  earn  her  living  because  the  average 
wages  of  a  working-man  in  the  United  States  of  America  is  $514  a  year, 
and  the  girl  must  eke  out  the  family  income? 

The  school  course  lasts  a  week,  at  the  least.  The  girls  get  a  dollar 
a  day  while  they  learn. 

SCHEMES  TO   KEEP  THE  GIRLS. 

Some  things  are  absolutely  necessary.  Girls  cannot  work  at  a  switch- 
board without  rest  periods.  Her  efficiency  is  obviously  impaired.  The 
company  so  well  recognizes  this  that  rest  periods  are  counted  in  as 
working  time.  These  rest  periods  are  reduced  to  the  minimum  that 
"efficiency"  demands;  not  the  minimum  that  lifetime  of  efficiency  de- 
mands, but  which  day-by-day  efficiency  demands. 

It  is  called  welfare  work,  but  after  all,  if  one  must  rest,  one  must  rest 
somewhere,  and  if  one  has  only  15  minutes,  that  place  must  be  near.  So 
rest  rooms  are  a  necessity.  Every  exchange  in  Detroit  has  a  rest  room. 
These  vary.  Some  have  pianos  or  pianolas;  the  main  exchange  has  a 
branch  of  the  Public  Library,  and  once  a  week  the  girls  can  draw  books. 
They  all  have  couches  and  chairs.  The  couches  and  the  piano  are  in 
the  same  room.  Some  of  the  girls  rest  by  throwing  themselves  down  on 


410  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

the  couches  for  10  minutes;  some  by  dancing.  One  couldn't  help  wish- 
ing that  the  couches  were  in  some  quiet,  restful  room,  and  yet  there 
ought  to  be  pianos.  Legs  cramped  all  day  need  exercise.  In  the  main 
exchange  girls  utterly  fatigued  can  go  to  a  smaller  rest  room  used  as 
an  emergency  room,  where  it  is  qyiet.  That  is  the  only  exchange  that 
has  one.  These  rest  rooms  are  very  pleasant. 

CAPES. 

In  some  of  the  exchanges  there  are  no  lunch  rooms.  In  these  the 
girls  for  the  most  part  live  so  near  that  they  can  go  home.  The  other 
girls  have  to  bring  lunches,  or  buy  something  from  a  near  by  store.  But 
in  most  of  the  exchanges  visited,  there  were  lunch  rooms  on  the  cafe- 
teria system — food  sold  at  cost. 

This  department  might  be  called  real  Welfare  Work.  The  company 
loses  by  it,  if  anything,  and  it  doesn't  have  to  do  it.  A  great  deal  of 
care  is  given  to  this  department.  Some  fine,  conscientious  women  have 
charge.  It  is  a  big  job.  The  girls  can  get  at  reasonable  prices  all  their 
meals,  and  lunch  in  between.  The  food  served  is  good. 

The  cleanliness  and  atmosphere  of  each  exchange  cafe  depends  more 
or  less  on  the  woman  in  charge,  and  upon  the  ability  to  get  help.  They 
are  more  or  less  alike,  and  yet  everyone  is  different.  Some  of  the 
buildings,  too,  are  newer,  and  have  better  accommodations  for  their 
lunch  rooms. 

One  does  not  see  it  anywhere  more  than  in  this  department — the  lives 
of  folks  that  are  being  spent  to  provide  for  the  needs  of  others.  All  this 
personal  service  combined  produces  a  sort  of  automatic  result.  More 
than  ever  you  feel  that  the  Workers  are  the  Brains. 

It  seems  unfair  to  criticise  these  lunch  rooms  at  all.  One  would  like 
the  kitchens  to  be  a  little  away  from  the  tables,  and  the  tables  always 
immaculately  clean. 

A   NURSE  IN  CHARGE. 

In  Detroit  at  the  Main  exchange  there  is  a  trained  nurse.  It  is  a 
matter  of  keeping  the  girls  on  the  job.  Efficiency  must  be  maintained. 
The  service  must  not  suffer.  If  health  cannot  be  sacrificed  without  les- 
sening the  efficiency  required  to-day,  or  without  hurting  the  service, 
it  must  be  considered.  The  woman  who  was  the  first  welfare  worker 
hired  in  Detroit  and  who  had  charge  of  the  girls  till  the  trained  nurse 
came,  was  talking  with  the  present  trained  nurse  about  the  girls  giving 
out.  She  said  when  she  first  came  as  welfare  secretary  she  didn't  know 
what  to  do.  She  had  to  do  something.  She  discovered  the  value  of  gin- 
ger tea.  By  the  use  of  ginger  tea  and  hot  water  bottle  and  resting 
half  an  hour,  the  girls  can  go  back  to  work. 

The  nurse  is  a  welfare  worker  hired  by  the  company.  Perhaps  some  day 
the  work  of  the  nurse  will  be  included  in  a  compulsory  examination  of 
girls  before  entrance;  she  will  give  instruction  to  girls  in.  hygiene  and 
morality,  and  it  will  be  her  duty  to  see  to  all  sanitary  matters,  from  the 
sterilization  of  headpieces  to  the  cleanliness  of  toilets. 

The  toilets  are  cleaned,  but  are  not  kept  clean.  They  are  used  con- 
stantly by  so  many.  Sometimes,  it  is  sickening  to  use  them. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  411 

The  girls  use  common  drinking  cups  or  glasses.  In  one  exchange  a 
cup  was  chained  down.  Th<»  lowels  arc  cotton,  often  changed,  yet  used 
in  common. 

These  tilings  spell  syphilis  and  tuberculosis,  toilet  seats  everywhere 
should  be  open  in  front  and  of  metal,  frequently  disinfected,  and  the 
seats  should  flush  of  themselves  to  instantly  dispel  odors.  Paper  towels 
should  be  used  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  people  are  careless.  Girls 
should  be  instructed  as  to  their  part  in  keeping  the  toilet  clean.  In- 
struction along  these  lines  should  be  a  part  of  the  industrial  instruc- 
tion given  a  girl  in  school,  and  in  the  industrial  schooling  offered  by 
the  industries.  Girls  entering  any  industry  should  have  regular  and 
frequent  instruction  given  her  in  personal  and  social  hygiene.  Next  to 
pay  and  hours  of  work,  there  is  nothing  more  important. 

If  all  the  girls  who  say  the  toilet  arrangements  are  satisfactory, 
think  so,  it  is  proof  education  is  needed  along  these  lines.  "Toilets 
should  be  as  sanitary  as  kitchens." 

EXCURSIONS    AND    VACATIONS. 

Another  plan  the  Detroit  exchange  has  tried  in  order  to  keep  the 
girls,  is  free  excursions  for  the  summer.  The  excursions  average  from 
15  to  170  girls.  The  excursions  are  free,  but  not  time  off.  The  girls 
at  the  different  exchanges  are  encouraged  to  be  sociable.  They  give 
dances  and  moonlight  excursions  for  themselves. 

The  vacation  is  only  one  week  with  pay.  In  order  to  keep  the  girls 
at  their  work  they  are  allowed  10  days  with  pay  if  they  are  absent  only 
one  day  during  the  year,  and  two  weeks  with  pay  if  never  absent.  The 
ji'irls  say: 

"I  could  have  had  a  vacation,  but  worked  vacation  time  to  make  up 
for  time  lost  on  account  of  sickness.  I  have  had  no  vacation  in  two 
years  except  when  sick." 

"I  stay  home.     Cheapest  place,  I  guess." 
"I  just  stay  home,  around  town;  all  I  have  money  for." 
"I  stay  home   during  vacation   and   take   excursions.     I   never   go 
away.     A  week  isn't  long  enough  to  stay." 
"Vacation  seems  so  good!" 

BENEFIT  SYSTEM. 

The  benefit  system  does  not  benefit  anyone  who  has  not  served  two 
years,  the  average  term  of  service  is  from  18  to  22  months.  For  em- 
ployes whose  terms  of  employment  has  been  two  years  or  more,  but  less 
than  five,  the  Sickness  Disability  Benefit  is  as  follows:  Full  pay  four 
weeks;  half  pay  nine  weeks,  after  first  seven  days'  absence.  For  em- 
ployes whose  term  of  employment  has  been  five  years  or  more,  but  less 
than  10  years;  full  pay  13  weeks;  half  pay  13  weeks  after  first  seven 
days'  absence. 

The  following  is  copied  from  a  blank : 

Age  25.  Worked  for  the  company  five  and  one-half  years  out  of 
eight  years.  "I  can't  complain  of  the  company.  I  don't  want  to  make 
out  this  blank  if  it  is  a  criticism."  She  feels  more  than  grateful  for 
the  company's  treatment  of  her  during  her  illness.  She  was  out 
eight  months.  She  had  congestion  of  the  kidneys  caused  by  being  on 
her  feet  as  supervisor.  She  was  supervisor  four  years.  She  received 


412  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

half  pay  for  three  months,  then  she  resigned  because  she  didn't 
"have  the  conscience  to  take  any  more  money  from  the  company." 
So  she  was  out  five  months  without  pay.  Then  again  she  has  been  out 
with  a  nervous  breakdown  for  10  weeks.  She  received  full  pay  for 
nine  weeks.  She  has  had  to  pay  the  doctor  $120  this  year.  "The  doc- 
tor has  gotten  all  I  earned  for  the  last  three  of  four  years,"  she  said. 

The  Benefit  System  is  fully  explained  in  a  booklet  the  company  issues. 
One  of  the  plans  to  keep  the  girls  is  to  reduce  their  pay  if  they  leave  and 
come  back.  Sometimes  a  girl  can  get  a  leave  of  absence,  but  if  not,  and 
she  leaves,  when  she  conies  back  she  is  only  allowed  pay  in  accord- 
ance with  half  the  time  she  has  served  the  company.  This  would  keep 
most  girls  from  taking  a  vacation  longer  than  their  regular  week.  It 
not  only  means  less  pay,  but  reduced  pay  when  they  return. 

EFFICIENCY   AND   THE    BONUS    SYSTEM. 

There  is  a  bonus  system  for  keeping  the  girls  in  the  service.  Prizes  are 
offered  to  the  most  efficient  teams,  a  team  consisting  of  a  supervisor 
and  eight  girls.  Prizes  are  given  the  teams  with  fewest  black  marks 
which  represent  the  mistakes  of  the  operators,  as  kept  track  of  by 
"listening  in"  operators.  The  prizes  in  the  different  exchanges  awarded 
to  the  most  perfect  team  run  from  $5  to  $12.  The  team  uses  the  prize 
for  a  celebration,  such  as  a  theater  party. 

It  would  seem  tha't  the  best  way  devised  for  keeping  the  girls  in 
the  service,  as  well  as  for  increasing  their  efficiency  is  to  increase  their 
pay.  One  official  said:  "The  increase  in  wages  last  September  (191.3) 
has  made  a  big  difference  in  the  service." 

HOURS. 

The  "Working  Curves"  as  published  by  the  company  show  that  the 
work  which  the  girls  have  to  handle  varies  considerably.  When  a  load 
is  heaviest  it  is  spoken  of  as  the  "peak"  load.  At  that  time  all  the 
boards  are  occupied.  The  "peak"  comes  at  the  middle  of  the  morning 
and  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  It  varies  somewhat  in  different  local- 
ities, and  several  things  influence  it. 

Let  us  imagine  it  is  1  A.  M.  The  night  girls  are  on;  there  aren't 
many  of  them.  There  are  very  few  calls,  so  the  girls  take  this  time  to 
test  out  the  lights,  requiring  from  one  to  three  hours.  One  thinks  of 
the  night  girls  as  having  nothing  to  do,  but  this  is  not  the  case.  By 
five  o'clock  in  summer  the  girls  must  have  finished  their  testing,  and 
have  had  their  rest  hour,  and  be  ready  for  work  again.  The  load  be- 
gins to  increase.  The  commission  merchants  are  at  work.  Business 
brightens  up.  By  nine  the  world  is  all  awake.  If  it  is  a  rainy  morn- 
ing, one  calls  up  a  neighbor  and  has  a  chat.  So  do  other  women.  And 
that  means  a  busy  morning  for  the  telephone  girls. 

Between  10  and  11  is  the  "peak."  Then  things  get  easier  till  the 
afternoon,  and  at  five  o'clock,  when  the  department  stores  close,  the 
load  at  the  main  exchange,  according  to  the  load  chart,  drops  down  a 
precipice.  In  other  exchanges  the  drop  is  more  gradual,  depending  on 
the  nature  of  the  patronage  in  the  district  covered.  All  these  things 
have  to  be  planned  on. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  413 

Then  too,  girls  have  to  be  planned  for.  They  don't  like  to  work 
evenings.  So  evening  shifts  have  to  be  shortened  to  persuade  the  girls 
to  take  them.  The  girls  don't  like  the  broken  shifts  and  night  work, 
so  these  have  to  carry  with  them  a  higher  remuneration.  And  the  ser- 
vice must  go  on  Sundays  and  all. 

A   GIRI/S   TIME   FOR   A   WEEK. 

In  order  to  figure  out  the  regular  time  a  telephone  girl  works  take 
for  example  a  regular  nine-hour-a-day  girl.  She  says : 

"I  work  from  seven  to  four-thirty  every  day  but  Sunday,  one  week. 
I  work  nine  hours  a  day.  I  am  in  the  Telephone  Building  nine  and 
one-half  hours  a  day.  I  am  in  the  Telephone  Building  57  hours  a  week 
that  week.  I  have  half  an  hour  off  for  dinner.  I  swallow  my  dinner, 
wash  up,  rest  five  minutes,  and  go  back  to  the  switch-board.  I  have  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  off  to  relax  in  the  morning  and  another  quarter  off 
in  the  afternoon.  I  clean  up,  dance  or  rest  five  minutes,  and  go  back 
to  the  switch-board. 

"The  two  quarters  of  an  hour  are  the  company's  time,  given  to  main- 
tain my  efficiency,  and  so  I  am  not  docked  for  them. 

"So  that  week  I  work  54  hours,  51  of  which  I  sit  up  with  my  feet 
on  rungs  facing  the  switch-board. 

"The  next  week  I  work  from  seven  to  four-thirty,  five  days  a  week. 
I  work  Sunday  instead  of  a  week  day.  Sunday  I  work  from  seven  to 
four;  nine  hours.  They  call  it  a  Long  Sunday.  It  is.  I  am  in  the 
Telephone  Building  nine  hours.  I  get  a  half-hour  off  to  eat,  and  15 
minutes  morning  and  afternoon  to  relax.  I  work  eight  and  one-half 
hours.  I  face  the  switch-board  eight  hours.  That's  my  long  Sunday. 
That  week  I  am  in  the  Telephone  Building  56%  hours,  and  I  work 
53%  hours.  I  am  facing  the  switch-board  50%  hours. 

"My  short  Sunday  I  work  six  hours,  with  only  10  minutes  off  in 
between,  so  that  week  I  am  in  the  Telephone  Building  53%  hours;  I 
'work'  51  hours,  and  face  the  board  48%  hours.  So  this  is  the  result: 

In  the  building  one  week . .  57      hours. 

In  the  building  one  week .56%  hours. 

In  the  building  one  week 57      hours. 

In  the  building  one  week 53%  hours." 

The  Load  'runs  as  follows : 

Main  A  operators — 168  calls  per  hour. 
Cherry  A  operators — 163  calls  per  hour. 
Main  B  operators — 360  calls  per  hour. 

The  "A"  girls  receive  the  calls  from  the  subscribers.  The  "B"  girls, 
or  the  "Busy  Bees"  as  they  are  called,  connect  all  calls  with  the  people 
asked  for. 

The  telephone  girls  do  not  come  under  the  54-hour  law.  The  schedule 
time  of  the  company  so  far  as  Detroit  is  concerned  does  not  work  them 
over  54  hours.  They  are  allowed  a  day  off  for  the  Sunday  they  work. 
The  company  can,  however,  work  them  overtime. 

But  whether  or  not  the  company  by  working  them  overtime  causes 
t  liein  to  work  more  than  54  hours  a  week,  or  more  than  10  hours  in  one 
day,  this  is  true,  that  the  girls  can,  of  their  own  accord  work  overtime, 
and  the  company  is  glad  to  have  them.  The  company  can  in  this  way 
accommodate  the  service  without  hiring  so  many  girls. 


414 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


PUBLIC    PAY    STATIONS    AND   PRIVATE    BOARDS. 

All  pay  stations  in  hotels,  etc.,  are  owned  and  run  by  the  company. 
In  many  ways,  hotel  work  is  not  desirable,  but  the  work  is  easier  and 
the  girls  get  pay  and  tips.  The  company  often  supplies  other  people 
with  operators.  This  helps  out  an  employer  and  gives  the  girls  a  chance. 
It  sounds  at  first  like  pure  philanthropy  on  the  part  of  the  company 
but  isn't.  It  is  certainly  co-operative  and  nice,  but  the  company  finds 
that  the  service  is  so  demoralized  if  a  private  board  has  an  inexperienced 
girl  that  it  pays  to  help  put  a  reliable  operator  at  it. 


PAY. 

In  figuring  up  the  pay  offered  the  girl  operators,  the  company  inves- 
tigates the  different  localities,  finds  the  market  price  of  the  labor  re- 
.  quired,  and  makes  out  a  schedule  designed  to  enable  it  always  to  get 
the  girls  it  needs.  In  spite  of  this,  however,  the  company  always  needs 
girls.  And  girls  help  to  fill  this  need  by  working  overtime. 

You  must  figure  in  comparing  the  yearly  pay  of  the  telephone  girls 
of  Detroit  that  the  present  schedule  went  into  effect  September  1, 
1014.  The  pay  in  the  report  is  reckoned  from  March,  1913,  to  March, 
1914.  If  the  girls  had  all  the  years  been  paid  according  to  the  present 
schedule,  the  yearly  figure  would  be  much  higher.  The  minimum  wage 
in  April,  1913,  was  $25.  It  is  now  $29.92  a  month.  The  yearly  pay 
is  larger  than  it  would  be  if  it  included  only  regular  working  hours. 
It  includes  overtime. 

Since  September,  1913,  the  girls  have  been  paid  at  so  much  a  day; 
it  is  a  great  improvement  over  pay  by  the  month.  Considering  the 
ever  varying  schedules  and  the  varying  scales  of  overtime,,  and  .the 
docking  and  fining  for  keys,  and  all,  it  is  next  to  impossible  even  now 
for  a  girl  to  know  if  her  pay  envelope  is  correct  or  not.  A  girl  just 
starting  gets  $1.10  a  day.  A  girl  who  has  worked  three  years  gets  for 
her  fourth  year  $1.65  a  day,  and  her  10th  year  she  gets  $2  a  day.  There 
is  a  regular  schedule.  The  girls  never  know  what  the  schedule  is,  or 
when  their  raise  is  due  them. 

Pay  is  reckoned  from  the  1st  to  the  15th  and  is  paid  on  the  20th.  Fay 
is  reckoned  from  the  16th  to  the  30th  or  31st,  and  is  paid  the  fifth  of  the 
following  month. 

Girls  are  paid  time  and  a  half  for  overtime.  If  absent,  the  time  is 
counted  against  their  vacation  and  pay.  For  this  reason,  girls  pay 
each  other  and  work  for  each  other,  if  a  girl  pays  a  girl  in  money  and 
not  in  time,  she  pays  her  25  cents  for  a  whole  hour,  and  15  cents  for  a 
half  hour.  This  is  going  the  company  one  better.  The  girl  has  to  work 
for  the  company  eight  years  before  she  gets  25  cents  an  hour.  Divided 
shifts  mean  15  cents  a  day  extra.  All  night  shifts  mean  10  cents  a 
day  extra.  In  case  a  girl  can't  be  accommodated  at  the  station  nearest 
her  home  she  is  given  10  cents  extra.  It  is  called  a  Long  Trip.  Senior 
operators  get  10  cents,  and  supervisors  20  cents,  more  than  operators. 

Report  nights  go  in  "spasms."  Different  "loads"  call  for  them  at 
different  exchanges,  or  they  may  not  be  necessary. 

If  a  girl  gets  four  hours  off  Saturday  afternoon,  she  makes  it  up 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  415 

sonic  night  by  working  three  hours.    When  Saturday  afternoon  is  slack 
the  company  likes  to  have  the  girls  do  this. 

FINES. 

A  new  key  for  a  locker  costs  25  cents.  It  seems  to  be  hard  to  hold  on 
to  keys  when  one  is  young  and  thoughtless.  But  one  learns. 

In  speaking  of  pay,  the  investigator  was  told :  "If  you  don't  take  your 
day  off  and  have  split  hours,  you  get  a  fancy  salary.  Take  a  senior 
operator,  for  instance.  She  would  get  10  cents  extra  for  being  a  senior 
operator  and  15  cents  extra  for  working  split  hours. 

This  is  the  rule  for  docking,  if  late: 

Any  operator  late  from  45  to  75  minutes  shall  be  docked  for  one 
hour.  Any  operator  who  is  late  from  75  to  105  minutes  shall  be 
docked  for  one  and  one-half  hours,  etc. 

It  is  hard  for  a  telephone  girl  to  keep  account  of  how  much  she 
should  be  paid.  She  gets  $1.10  a  day  to  start  with.  In  a  few  months 
it  is  increased  to  $1.20  and  in  a  little  while  it  goes  up  to  $1.30.  So 
she  knows  she  is  continually  getting  raised,  which  encourages  her. 
But  many  do  not  know  that  there  is  a  regular  schedule.  For  every 
other  Sunday  she  gets  time  and  a  half.  Then  that  week  she  will  be 
out  a  day  and  so  not  get  paid  for  that  day.  Then  too,  some  months 
she  works  three  Sundays,  but  is  only  paid  for  one  time.  She  is  docked 
if  late  and  fined  for  keys.  And  then  she  isn't  paid  until  four  or  five  days 
after  the  half  month  is  over. 

FIGURING  PAY. 

In  order  to  figure  out  what  a  telephone  girl  gets  a  week  you  have 
to  do  this: 

"Calculating  there  are  five  Sundays  in  August  and  31  days.  I  work 
Sunday  the  2nd,  16th  and  30th.  I  get  $1.30  a  day.  I  do  not  work  the 
5th  or  the  19th,  having  worked  the  2nd  and  16th.  I  divide  the 
month  from  the  first  to  the  15th  and  from  the  16th  to  the  31st.  From 
the  1st  to  the  15th  I  work  12  regular  days  and  two  Sundays.  From 
the  16th  to  the  31st  I  work  14  days  and  one  Sunday.  In  my  pay 
envelope  that  I  get  August  20,  I  find  $19.50  (plus  overtime  and  minus 
deductions).  And  September  5  I  receive  a  pay  envelope  with  $20.15 
in  it  (minus  deductions  and  plus  overtime).  That  month  I  received 
$39.85.  The  next  month  it  won't  be  that  much,  because  I'll  work  only 
two  Sundays." 

It  must  require  some  bookkeeping.    One  girl  says : 

"I  am  18  years  old.  I  get  $1.40  a  day.  I  don't  know  how  long  I've 
been  getting  it,  or  how  much  I  got  before.  I'm  satisfied.  I  didn't  ask." 

Another  girl  says: 

"I  am  19  years  old;  have  worked  three  years  for  the  company.  I  did 
not  use  to  take  a  day  off,  but  do  now.  I  need  it  more  than  the  money. 
I  did  work  report  nights  but  don't  now.  Can't  stand  it  to  work  so 
long.  I  look  well  but  can't  stand  it  ...  I  don't  know  about  pay. 
Never  kept  track,  didn't  take  interest  in  it,  but  just  took  pay  as  it 
came."  (She  is  not  self-supporting.  She  gives  her  envelope  to  her 
mother.)  "We  are  paying  for  a  home.  My  salary  helps  ....  Lots 
of  things  I  want  but  really  can't  have,  you  know*" 


416  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

THE  JOB. 

One  would  like  to  express  the  feeling  one  has  when  thinking  of  the 
telephone  service.  Department  stores  and  little  corner  groceries,  and 
automobile  factories,  and  city  homes  and  lonely  farm-house,  and  all 
the  places  where  folks  are,  including  the  red  light  district  and  the 
churches,  are  able  to  communicate  with  each  other  in  a  minute.  Thou- 
sands of  girls  make  the  connections, — thousands  of  girls  usually  be- 
tween the  ages  of  16  and  25,  sitting  up  with  feet  on  the  rungs  of  high 
stools,  facing  a  switch-board  many  hours  a  day,  saying,  "Number, 
please?"  and  repeating  "Two,  three,  fi-of,  ni-en?"  handling  many  pairs 
of  cords  at  a  time,  watching  many  lights  to  see  if  the  connections 
are  made,  or  to  see  if  the  parties  are  through  talking  so  that  she  can 
disconnect  the  lines;  ears  and  eyes  and  fingers  and  arms  constantly 
alert,  and  nerves  constantly  under  tension. 

She  is  taught  precisely  what  to  say,  and  she  is  not  allowed  to  say 
anything  else.  She  has  a  supervisor  at  her  back  constantly,  helping 
her  when  necessary,  watching  her  always.  She  knows  that  somewhere 
there  is  a  "listening  in"  operator  who  can  at  any  time  listen  to  her 
and  keep  track  of  her  ability  and  her  voice  and  her  mistakes  and 
her  behavior,  all  without  her  knowing  it.  If  she  so  much  as  says  to 
a  subscriber.  "I  did  give  you  that  number,"  and  is  heard  saying  it, 
she  is  reprimanded.  She  must  say  "Please"  and  always  be  courteous* 
and  never  answer  back. 

IMPATIENT    GIRLS    AND    IMPATIENT    SUBSCRIBERS. 

In  order  to  keep  her  from  "going  to  sleep"  on  her  job  she  works  in 
connection  with  those  on  either  side  of  her.  If  she  is  not  busy,  and 
they  are,  she  assists  them,  so  there  is  no  relaxation  at  the  board. 
Just  remember  this,  subscribers,  if  the  girl  is  impatient.  It's  irritat- 
ing just  to  telephone  isn't  it?  Well,  it  may  be  the  last  hour  "which 
is  so  long,"  and  she  may  have  been  sitting  with  her  feet  on  rungs 
facing  a  switch-board  and  answering  calls  for  all  sorts  of  subscribers 
for  five  long  hours  with  only  15  minutes  off  to  keep  her  nerves  from 
breaking  and  to  "maintain  her  efficiency." 

If  subscribers  only  knew  their  reputations!  The  investigator  was 
talking  to  two  chief  operators,  one  for  the  "A's,"  and  one  for  the  "B's". 
She  said  she  had  heard  that  the  "A's"  work  was  easier  than  the  "B's" 
for  the  latter  had  so  many  more  connections  to  make.  The  chief 
operator  for  the  "B's"  said: 

Well,  when  you  are  a  "B"  you  don't  have  to  take  any  impertinence 
from  the  subscribers,  and  of  course  the  operators  are  always  polite; 
if  they  aren't  you  can  report  them." 

In  discussing  subscribers,  one  said: 

"He  thinks  two  seconds  are  10  minutes."  Another  said:  "I  always 
think  I  don't  know  what  has.  come  across  them  during  the  day  to  make 
them  so  irritable.  I  always  think  of  that.  I  try  to  have  patience,  and 
give  them  all  the  attention  I  can." 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  117 

TAKIN(i    CARE    OF    A    "FAMILIAR"    SUBSCRIBER. 

If  a  man  tries  to  be  familiar  with  a  girl  operator,  to  make  a  "dak1" 
with  her  or  anything  like-  that,  or  to  be  perhaps  in  less  serious  ways 
familiar,  she.  can  turn  him  over  to  the  supervisor,  who  ran  pass  him 
along  to  the  chief  operator,  who  in  turn  plugs  the  "trouble  clerk/7  who 
is  a  man.  It's  about  then  that  the  friendly  subscriber  hangs  up  his 
receiver. 

It  is  wonderful  to  see  the  girls  change  places,  when  the  new  shifts 
come  on.  They  come  in  quietly,  they  get  their  headpieces,  take  the 
places  of  the  girls  who  leave,  and  the  service  goes  on  connectedly.  If 
you  have  asked  for  a  number  and  your  party  has  not  answered,  pres- 
ently another  voice  says,  "Did  you  get  them?  No?  I  will  ring  again," 
and  that  is  all.  You  didn't  see  the  change  that  took  place  in  a  minute; 
!.">  "iris  displacing  15  other  girls. 

In  the  evenings,  too,  it  is  interesting.  Things  become  quieter  and 
quieter.  Some  leave  at  8:30,  more  at  9.  At  10  the  night  shift  comes 
on.  A  few  are  left  besides.  At  11  these  leave.  It's  all  very  quiet 
now.  and  airy.  If  it  Were  not  for  sitting  up  all  night  and  working  under 
artificial  lights,  it  would  be  otherwise  quite  pleasant. 

In  the  day  time  the  voices  make  a  constant  humming  noise;  the  air 
isn't  so  good,  with  so  many  sitting  together,  and  so  close  to  the  switch- 
board, and  though  in  summer  with  the  windows  open  it  is  well  ven- 
tilated out  in  the  room,  so  close  to  the  board  the  air  is  bad,  unless  the 
fans  are  carefully  located.  As  you  come  into  the  room  the  ventila- 
tion strikes  you  as  good  but  it  is  direct  ventilation,  not  indirect,  so 
at  times  it  means  either  draughts  or  closed  windows. 

WORKING   CONDITIONS. 

In  the  Detroit  Main  exchange  the  long  distance  operators  work  in  a 
place  that  is  close  and  is  always  artificially  lighted,  day  and  night. 
Also,  in  the  Main  exchange,  they  have  a  platform  and  lower  seats,  in 
"A."  This  prevents  the  girls  from  ever  standing  while  they  work. 
"Used  to  be  allowed  to  stand.  Can't  any  more.  I  don't  like  it  at  all, 
sitting  all  day.  It's  tiresome  we  can't  stand  up." 

The  girls  wear  headpieces.  Each  girl  is  supposed  to  have  her  own, 
but  doesn't  always.  These  headpieces  are  seldom  sterilized.  The 
cords  that  the  girls  handle  carry  infection.  Girls  come  to  the  nurse 
with  infected  fingers. 

Girls  faint  from  heart  trouble  and  poor  blood.  They  have  hysteria 
from  nervous  exhaustion.  They  have  weeping  sinews  in  the  wrists 
that  may  become  tubercular.  One  had  a  cist  tumor  on  her  wrist,  but 
continued  to  work. 

They  should  have  a  physical  examination  before  entrance,  and  they 
should  be  guarded  carefully  against  infection  from  headpieces  and 
cords.  They  should  have  short  hours  and  sufficient  rest  periods. 

One  girl,  nearly  20,  and  who  has  worked  for  the  company  three 
years  out  of  the  last  four,  says: 

"I  was  supervisor  for  three  months, -but  couldn't  stand  it  being  on 
my  feet,  so  I  went  back  to  the  board.    I  do  not  take  a  day  off.     I  lose 
so  much  time  otherwise,  that  I  hardly  feel  that  I  can  afford  it.    I  weigh 
107  pounds.    Four  years  ago  I  weighed  125  pounds." 
53 


418 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Public    opinion    should    demand    a    written    or    unwritten    law 
every  woman  should  have  one  day  oil',  with  pay,  each  month. 


that 


Table  No.  57. — DETROIT  TELEPHONE  OPERATORS'  SALARY  SCHEDULE. 


Local 
operators, 
per  day. 

Long 
distance 
operators, 
per  day. 

Clerks, 
per 
month. 

1st  month  

$1  10 
1  10 

$1  10 
1  10 

$32  50 
32  50 

3rd  month  
4th  month 

1  20 
1  20 

1  20 
1  20 

35  00 
35  00 

5th  month  
6th  month  

1  20 
1  30 

1  30 
1  30 

35  00 
37  50 

7th  month  
8th  month 

1  30 

1  30 

1  30 
1  30 

37  50 
37  50 

9th  month  
10th  month  

1  1th  mouth  
12th  month  

1  30 
1  30 

1  30 
1  30 

1  30 
1  40 

1  40 
1  40 

37  50 
37  50 

37  50 
37  50 

13th  month  
14th  month 

1  40 
1  40 

1  40 
1  40 

40  00 
40  00 

15th  month  
16th  month  ".  

1  40 
1  40 

1  50 
1  50 

40  00 
40  00 

17th  month  
18th  month  < 

1  40 
1  40 

1  50 

50 

40  00 
40  00 

19th  month.  .„  
20th  month  

21st  month  :  .  .  .  .  

1  40 
1  40 

1  50 

50 
50 

50 

40  00 
40  00 

42  50 

22nd  month  .  ... 

1  50 

60 

42  50 

23rd  month 

1  50 

60 

42  50 

24th  month  ....  

1  50 

60 

42  50 

25th  month  

26th  month  '  
27th  month 

1  50 

1  50 
1  50 

60 

60 
60 

42  50 

45  00 

45  00 

28th  month  
29th  month  
30th  month  

31st  month  
32nd  month  -  
33rd  month  .... 

1  50 
1  60 
1  60 

1  60 
1  60 
1  60 

60 
65 

65 

65 
65 
1  65 

45  00 
45  00 
45  00 

47  50 
47  50 
47  50 

34th  month  
35th  month  .  .  .  

1  60 

1  60 

1  65 
1  65 

47  50 
47  50 

36th  month 

1  60 

1  65 

47  50 

4th  year  

1  65 

1  70 

50  00 

5th  year  

1  70 

1  75 

55  00 

6th  year  

1  75 

1  80 

r>o  00 

7th  year    .  .                                                                                                        ......  v  .. 

1  80 

1  90 

60  00 

8th  year  
9th  year  
10th  year  ,  

1  80 
1  90 

2  (X) 

1  90 
1  00 
•2  ID 

School— $1.00  per  day. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 

Tahlc    No.    .7.S'.— DKTKOIT    TKLKIMH  >N  K    STPKH  VISORS'    .SCHEDULE. 


419 


Time. 

Daily  basis. 

>i  :;<» 
1  40 

(i  months  

1  50 
1  60 

1  70 

8  months  

1  80 

1  85 

8  months   

1  90 

1  95 

8  months  

2  00 
2  10 

24  months  
24  months                  

2  20 
2  30 

24  months  

*2  40 

'Long  distance  only. 


PAY    IX    SMALLER  TOWNS. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  pay  rolls  of  the  different  towns.  Is 
it  less  expensive  to  live  in  Saginaw  than  in  Ypsilanti  or  Ann  Arbor? 
Is  the  work  less  strenuous  in  Flint  and  Saginaw  than  in  Ypsilanti 
nr  Ann  Arbor? 

The  telephone  operators  know  how  much  they  get  a  month,  but  when 
it  comes  to  figuring  up  for  overtime,  and  Sunday  work  and  all,  they 
really  do  not  know  how  much  is  due  them.  Neither  do  they  know  how 
much  they  get  a  week.  If  you  ask  them  they  divide  their  month's  sal- 
ary by  four — the  result  is  quite  different  from  multiplying  by  12  and 
dividing  by  52. 

Throughout  the  State  the  pay  roll  has  been  increased  since  the  in- 
crease in  Detroit,  in  September,  101'?.  In  Detroit  a  regular  operator 
begins  at  S1.10  a  day,  or  $0.90  a  week.  After  a  year  she  gets  $8.78. 
(Before  September,  1913,  she  got  $6.16,  and  before  April  1013,  she 
got  s.").TT  a  week).  In  Ann  Arbor,  since  May,  1014,  she  begins  at  |4.(>1 
a  week.  (Before  that  she  began  at  $3.69).  After  working  a  year 
she  gets  -SO  a  week ;  after  10  years  she  gets  $8.7(>  a  week. 

In  Ann  Arbor  the  chief  operator,  after  13  years  of  service  receives 
si  1  ..">()  a  week.  The  next  highest,  after  nine  and  one-half  years  of  ser- 
vice, receives  s7.74.  This  she  receives  as  supervisor  after  nine  years 
as  an  operator.  ruder  the  old  scale  of  wages  $384  was  her  earnings 
last  year.  Nine  years  ago  she  started  with  $12  a  month  and  got  no 
extra  pay  for  Sundays. 

In  Ann  Arbor  the  girls  can  have  an  extra  day  off  without  pay  in 
place  of  the  Sunday  they  work — few  take  it.  Many  girls  work  every  day 
and  every  Sunday.  One  said  "I  have  never  missed  n  day  yet.  I've 
been  here  two  years."  She  works  seven  hours  a  day,  a  regular  shift 
from  one  to  eight  I*.  M.  She  is  also  going  through  high  school. 

In  Ann  Arbor  the  increase  in  pay,  January  1st,  1014,  was  impera- 
tive. The  pay  was  so  small  the  girls  would  not  stay  any  length  of 
time.  Just  as  a  girl  began  to  understand  her  work,  she  would  leave. 
This  was  so  hard  on  the  service  and  there  was  so  much  complaint 
that  wages  had  to  be  raised. 


420  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

In  Ypsilanti  since  November,  1914,  an  operator  starts  with  |4.61  as 
in  Ann  Arbor.  The  increase  is  slow,  and  the  maximum  is  $7.84.  Can 
take  a  day  off  without  pay. 

In  St.  Joseph,  since  May,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.61;  the  rate  of 
increase  differs  from  both  Ann  Arbor  and  Ypsilanti.  All  operators 
get  a  day  off. 

In  Saginaw,  since  January  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15  a  week 
(less  than  in  Ann  Arbor  or  Ypsilanti).  After  working  a  year,  the 
girl  gets  $5.54;  after  10  years,  $8.76.  The  monthly  pay  roll  in  Saginaw 
increased  in  January,  1914,  $360.  And  yet  to-day  the  minimum  is  less 
than  in  Ann  Arbor  or  Ypsilanti.  All  operators  get  a  day  off  for  work- 
ing on  Sunday. 

In  Flint,  since  April  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15  a  week.  After 
working  a  year  a  girl  gets  $5.76.  After  10  years  she  gets  $8.32.  All 
operators  get  a  day  off  for  working  on  Sunday. 

In  Menominee  the  minimum  since  April  1,  is  $4.15.  After  working  a 
year  a  girl  begins  to  get  $5.  After  10  years  she  gets  $7.84.  No  opera- 
tor gets  a  day  off  for  working  Sunday. 

In  Calumet  the  minimum  since  July  1,  1914,  is  $4.15.  After  a 
year  a  girl  gets  $4.38.  After  10  years  she  gets  $6.92.  No  operator  gets 
a  day  off  for  working  on  Sunday.  In  Calumet  there  is  no  relief  for 
rest. 

In  Ludington,  since  April  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15.  After  a 
year  a  girl  gets  $4.61.  After  10  years  she  gets  $7.38.  No  girl  gets 
a  day  off  for  working  on  Sunday.  The  Citizens  Telephone  Company 
in  Ludington  starts  the  girls  at  $3.46.  After  a  year  she  is  still  getting 
this. 

In  Hancock  and  Houghton,  since  July  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15. 
After  a  year  the  girls  get  $4.38.  After  10  years  $6.92.  No  operator 
gets  a  day  off  for  working  on  Sunday. 

In  Marquette,  since  Ap*ril  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15.  After  a 
year  $4.61.  After  10  years  $7.38.  No  operator  gets  a  day  off  for  work, 
ing  on  Sunday. 

In  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  since  April  1,  1914,  the  minimum  is  $4.15.  After 
one  year  $5.  After  10  years  $7.38.  No  operator  gets  a  day  off  for  work- 
ing on  Sunday. 

In  Traverse  City  the  minimum  is  $4.61.  The  minimum  for  the  Citi- 
zens Telephone  Company  is  $4.15. 

In  Manistee  the  minimum  is  $4.15. 

In  Cheboygan -the  minimum  is  $4.61. 

In  Alpena  the  minimum  is  $4.40. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
''able    No.    59.— SUMMARY   OF    TELEPHONE    EXCHANGE    INVESTIGATION. 


421 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited 

18 

Establishments  invest  i(ra  tod 

24 

Employes  interrogated                                                                                            •  

474 

American-born                       .                                                 ,.                  .            

451 

95.2 

Foreign-born  

23 

4.8 

Living  at  home  

367 

77.4 

Adrift  

107 

22.6 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  

209 

44.1 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  

336 

71.2 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  

136 

28.8 

Working  under  1  year  

144 

30.4 

Working  under  3  years  

323 

68.1 

Working  3  years  and  over  

151 

31.9 

Have  followed  other  occupations  

228 

48.1 

Under  16  years  of  age  

8 

1.7 

Under  20  years  of  age  

241 

50.8 

Under  25  years  of  a?e  

417 

88.2 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

56 

11.8 

Single  

446 

94.3 

M  arried  

21 

4.4 

Widowed  

3 

0.6 

Separated  or  divorced  .... 

3 

0.6 

APPENDIX  V. 


THE  TOBACCO  INDUSTRY. 


CIGAR  MAKING. 

Cigar  making  is  one  of  the  best  paid  industries  in  Michigan,  vet 
it  is  almost  wholly  in  the  hands  of  the  children  of  foreign  parents — 
for  the  most  part  German  and  Polish.  For  this  condition  several  rea- 
sons' are  suggested:  Some  young  women  do  not  like  to  cover  up  their 
dresses  with  long  blue  gingham  aprons,  or  soil  their  hands  with  to- 
bacco leaves  and  paste.  Some — perhaps  all — expect  to  marry,  and  can- 
not see  the  necessity  of  devoting  at  least  a  year  to  learning  the  trade. 
A  third  reason  advanced  is  that  making  cigars  shuts  the  worker  from 
immediate  contact  with  the  outside  world.  In  short,  there  is  little  op- 
portunity for  romance  in  a  cigar  factory. 

Because  the  children  of  foreign  parents  have  monopolized  this 
trade,  the  outside  English  speaking  world  does  not  know  that  skilled 
cigar  makers  earn  as  high  as  $25  and  $27  a  week,  or  that  it  takes  one 
as  long  to  become  skilled  in  cigar  making  ils  it  does  to  become  pro- 
ficient in  stenography.  The  trade  once  acquired,  is  never  forgotten. 
If  the  husband  loses  his  job,  or  runs  away,  or  is  sick,  it  immediately 
offers  a  livelihood.  One  woman,  returning  after  seven  years  of  mar- 
ried life,  said  she  expected  to  get  back  her  old. speed  in  a  week. 

Cigar  making  is  one  of  the  few  industries  that  have  not  profited  by 
the  introduction  of  machinery.  The  best  cigars  are  still  made  by 
hand.  The  machines  invented  are  used  only  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
cheaper  grades.  A  woman  who  had  made  cigars  for  .'>()  years  was  asked 
if  the  process  had  changed  much  in  that  time  and  she  replied  '"scarcely 
at  all."  Because  of  the  simplicity  of  the  tools  many  cigar  factories 
are  very  small.  A  cigar  can  be  made  in  any  room  where  there  is  good 
light  and  a  table  to  work  on.  However,  cigar  making  is  not  limited  to 
small  ''shops''  or  "buckeyes"  as  they  are  usually  called. 

Every  cigar  factory  in  Detroit  employing  live  or  more  women  was 
visjted.  The  complete  number  of  establishments  visited  in  Detroit  were 
22,  in  the  State  eight.  Of  the  22  in  Detroit,  two  employed  about  1,0-00 
women,  three  between  400  and  000 ;  six  bet  \veen  100  and  GOO;  and  the 
remainder  less  than  40. 

Cigar  making  was  once  a  trade  entirely  in  the  hands  of  num.  The 
men  still  outnumber  the  women  in  the  east  and  south,  but  in  Michigan 
at  least  women  have  almost  entirely  supplanted  men  in  factory  work. 
In  onlv  one  factory  in  this  State  do  the  men  outnumber  the  women. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  423 

The  --  factories  visited  in  Detroit  employ  r>,07X  women,  and  60(5  of 
Iliese  were  interrogated.  The  eight  factories  in  the  State  (hat  were 
visited  employ  .">:>(>  women,  and  141  of  these  were  interrogated,  making 
a  total  of  SOT  in  six  localities  that  were  interrogated. 

THE    REGULARITY    OF    WORK    AND    HOURS. 

Cigar  making  is  not  seasonal.  But  because  of  the  large  number  of 
Polish  workers,  and  the  unwillingness  of  the  factories  to  work  with  half 
a  force,  the  factories  usually  close  for  all  the  holidays  as  well  as  for 
two  weeks  of  inventory,  making  five  wteeks  in  all.  Many  girls  plan  to 
take  their  vacation  during  these  weeks,  so  there  is  a  very  small  per  cent 
reporting  on  vacations. 

Hours  in  a  cigar  factory  range  from' 7  to  9V£,  depending  upon  the 
factory.  The  majority  work  8  or  8l/2  hours,  and  those  having  appren- 
tices sometimes  9  or  more.  In  some  of  the  small  factories  the  hours 
are  left  entirely  to  the  girls.  Each  roller  is  matched  up  in  speed  by 
a  bunch  maker,  and  as  they  work  together  they  have  to  decide  upon  the 
number  of  hours  they  want  to  work.  The  bunch  maker  arrives  a  little 
earlier  in  the  morning  than  the  roller,  so  as  to  have  a  dozen  or  so 
bunches  awaiting  her.  The  roller  stays  a  little  later  in  the  evening  to 
finish  rolling  the  bunches  prepared  for  her,  as  the  tobacco  dries  if  left 
unfinished  over  night.  They  arrive  between  7  and  9  and  depart  between 
4  and  5,  working  only  a  half  day  on  Saturday. 

OCCUPATIONS  WITHIN  THE  INDUSTRY. 

The  tobacco  used  in  making  cigars  has  usually  gone  through  some 
process  of  cleaning  and  sorting  by  the  shippers,  so  that  when  it  reaches 
the  cigar  factory  it  is  ready  to  be  cased.  This  work  is  always  done 
by  men  and  consists  in  moistening  the  leaves,  placing  them  on  racks, 
and  covering  them  with  damp  cloths.  When  the  leaves  have  been  suf- 
ficiently "sweated/'  they  are  ready  for  the  strippers. 

Stripping  is  always  done  by  women,  usually  old  or  foreign  women 
as  the  work  is  very  simple.  The  main  requirement  is  care  not  to  tear 
the  leaves.  Stripping  consists  in  taking  out  the  midrib  or  stem  of  the 
leaf  of  tobacco  while  it  is  still  moist  and  pliable  from  the  casing.  To- 
bacco leaves  used  in  cigars  are  of  three  grades;  the  filler,  the  binder 
and  the  wrapper.  As  the  filler  is  not  injured  if  torn,  less  care-  is 
required  than  in  stripping  the  binder  or  wrapper,  and  so  the  beginner 
is  put  upon  this  work. 

The  stripper  sits  beside  her  pile  of  tobacco  leaves  either  at  a  table 
or  in  a  sort  of  box  like  enclosure.  As  she  strips  the  midrib  from  the 
leaf  she  places  it  on  a  scale  in  front  of  her  as  it  is  put  up  in  packs; 
she  is  paid  by  the  piece,  the  rate  being  set  by  the  weight.  Binder  and 
wrapper  stripping  is  done  in  the  same  way,  only  more  care  must  be 
used  not  to  injure  the  leaf  in  any  way,  especially  in  the  case  of  the 
wrapper,  as  it  is  the  outer  covering  of  the  cigar  and  must  be  without 
a  defect  of  any  kind. 

(ireat  care  must  be  used  in  stripping  Sumatra  tobacco,  as  it  is  the 
most  expensive  and  cannot  be  used  for  fillers,  and  if  it  is  torn  it  is  a 
complete  loss.  In  some  factories  stripping  is  done  by  machines,  the 


424  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

work  of  the  woman  operator  consisting  merely  in  spreading  the  leaf 
out  carefully  and  feeding  it  into  the  machine.  Machines  are  only 
found  in  the  largest  factories.  * 

BUNCHING    AND    ROLLING. 

When  the  stripping  is  done  the  leaves  must  be  "booked."  This  is 
done  by  the  "selector"  who  sorts  the  leaves  with  regard  to  size  and 
color,  piles  them  smoothly  one  on  top  of  the  other,  and  ties  them  in 
bundles  for  the  cigar  makers.  A  number  of  stock  girls  are  used  in 
this  department  to  bring  the  tobacco  to  the  strippers  and  carry  the 
products  of  her  work  to  the  sorters. 

Formerly  bunching  and  rolling  was  done  by  the  same  person,  but 
this  is  seldom  found  now  except  in  small  factories  turning  out  only 
high-priced  cigars.  Hand  bunching  is  of  two  kinds.  Sometimes  it 
is  done  without  accessories  of  any  sort.  The  filler  is  arranged  in  the 
palm  of  the  hand  and  the  binder  fastened  around  it  and  the  cigars 
laid  in  neat  piles  for  the  roller.  This  method  requires  skill  and  a 
buncher  can  keep  only  one  roller  supplied.  The  more  general  method 
of  hand  bunching  consists  in  placing  the  filler  in  the  binder  and  press- 
ing it  into  a  mold.  When  a  dozen  bunches  have  been  made  the  two 
halves  of  the  mold  are  clamped  together  to  await  the  roller.  One 
bunch  maker  can  keep  two  rollers  supplied,  and  she  sits  between  them 
at  long  tables.  She  is  expected  to  get  a  certain  number  of  cigars  out 
of  her  allotment  of  tobacco,  and  her  rate  of  pay  is  often  determined 
by  her  economy  in  the  use  of  her  supplies.  Upon  the  bunch  maker  de- 
pends the  weight  and  size  of  the  cigars,  whether  it  is  firm  or  will  draw 
properly.  Machine  bunching  is  not  common. 

ROLLING. 

Boiling  is  nearly  always  done  by  hand.  The  roller's  tools  consists 
of  a  smooth  block  of  hard  wood,  a  knife,  a  little  dish  of  licorice-flavored 
paste,  and  in  some  cases  a  cigar  cutter,  if  the  roller  is  making  the  kind 
that  has  the  ends  clipped  off.  She  sits  beside  her  bunch  maker  at  a 
long  table,  and  spreads  her  leaf  of  tobacco  out  on  the  block,  cutting 
it  the  proper  size  and  shape  without  the  aid  of  a  pattern.  This  she 
has  learned  to  do  in  her  apprenticeship  days.  Having  cut  the  wrapper 
the  roller  holds  it  flat  in  her  hand  and  places  the  bunch  on  it,  wrap- 
ping the  leaf  carefully  around  it,  shaping  and  rounding  off  the  head, 
pasting  it  down  and  cutting  off  any  stray  ends.  The  cigars  are 
placed  in  racks  and  carried  to  the  examiner.  In  a  few  factories  suction 
table  rolling  was  used. 

PACKING. 

The  room  where  the  packing  is  done  is  on  the  top  floor,  usually  under 
skylights,  as  the  packer  must  have  good  light  to  properly  sort  the 
cigars,  and  arrange  them  by  size  and  color.  Sometimes  the  packer  is 
surrounded  by  screens  or  curtains  of  green  burlap.  The  packer  usually 
works  standing,  although  in  some  cases  high  stools  are  provided 
though  seldom  used.  The  packer  spreads  out  the  finished  cigars  be- 
fore her,  and  groups  them  according  to  the  shade  of  the  tobacco,  and 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  425 

arranges  them  in  rows,  examining  them  for  irregularities  and  defeHs. 
The  best  are  saved  for  the  top  layer  and  the  others  put  in  the  lower 
layers.  When  all  are  put  into  the  boxes  or  cans,  the  paper  or  tinfoil 
are  folded  over  them  and  the  box  is  placed  in  a  hand  press. 

The  boxes  are  next  taken  to  the  banders  who  open  the  lids,  take  out 
the  cigars,  being  careful  to  keep  them  in  the  order  in  which  they  have 
been  packed,  paste  bands  around  them,  replace  them  in  the  box,  and 
they  are  again  placed  in  a  press.  Sometimes  the  name  of  the  factory  is 
stamped  on  the  cigar  by  a  machine,  but  this  is  not  often  done. 

In  addition  to  these  operations  girls  are  employed  to  label  the  boxes 
and  paste  government  stamps  on  them.  In  some  factories,  especially 
those  who  have  apprentices,  an  effort  is  made  at  repairing  the  defec- 
tive cigars.  Young  girls  are  seated  at  long  tables  pasting  bits  of 
tobacco  leaves  over  broken  spots.  In  one  factory  there  were  two 
machines  for  steaming  the  cigars  so  that  the  ends  could  be  remolded, 
but  as  these  are  sold  as  "seconds,"  most  factories  do  not  consider  the 
expenditure  of  time  and  money  worth  the  saving  of  the  work  of  be- 
ginners. 

Where  cigar  making  is  taught,  one  or  more  teachers  are  employed, 
usually  women,  though  sometimes  men.  There  are  several  girls  called 
"side  workers,"  who  carry  supplies  to  the  workers,  and  who  usually 
later  take  up  some  branch  of  the  work  and  learn  to  become  expert 
workers. 

WAGES. 

More  than  half  the  employes  interrogated  in  cigar  factories  receive 
|8  and  over  a  week  and  these  were  for  the  most  part  bunch  makers, 
rollers  and  packers.  After  the  cigar  makers  have  learned  their  trade, 
which  takes  from  six  months  to  a  year  they  make  from  $7  to  $20  a 
week.  A  few  have  reached  $25  and  $27  a  week  but  they  are  exceptions. 
In  one  factory  having  only  a  few  apprentices  the  average  tor  the  week 
was  $14.75.  From  one  family,  four  sisters  showed  to  the  investigator 
pjiy  envelopes  containing  $19,  $14,  $13  and  $12.  These  daughters  are  so 
profitable  that  the  father  is  able  to  retire  from  work. 

Cigar  packing  can  be  learned  in  half  the  time  it  takes  to  learn 
cigar  making.  The  wage  seldom  reaches  $18,  and  with  the  majority  it 
falls  below  $14.  Banders  do  not  often  make  over  $8.  Wages  in  a 
cigar  factory  are  all  piece-work  rate  except  for  apprentices  and  some 
of  the  miscellaneous  tasks  such  as  side  workers,  repairers,  stemmers, 
examiners,  etc.  Strippers  are  paid  both  by  a  Aveekly  rate  and  a  piece- 
work rate  according  to  the  custom  of  the  factory.  When  they  are  paid  by 
the  week  they  receive  from  $5.50  to  $8;  when  paid  by  piece-work  they 
make  from  $3  to  $11.  Labeling  is  paid  at  the  rate  of  20  cents  a  1,000 
cans  and  the  workers  make  from  $7  to  $10,  $7  being  the  more  usual 
pay.  Examiners  and  teachers  receive  $15.  Stemmers,  repairers,  and 
side  workers-  get  from  $4  to  $5.50. 

Returning  to  the  cigar  makers,  for  theirs  is  the  most  important  phase 
of  the  work,  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  number  of  cigars  made  a  day 
and  the  prices  paid  to  achieve  these  wages.  As  there  is  a  great  differ- 
ence in  the  length  and  size  of  cigars,  the  rate  for  bunching  is  from  $1 
to  $1.90  for  machine  bunching,  and  $2  to  $6.75  for  hand  bunching.  The 


426  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

numbers  bunched  a  day  range  inversely  to  the  price.  With  the  use  of 
the  machine  a  girl  can  bunch  from  1,000  to  1,400  a  day.  If  she  bunches 
1,200  a  day  she  does  0,600  a  week  and  at  the  average  price  of  f  1,60  makes 
|10.56  a  week.  Those  making  the  high  grade  cigars  and  receiving  $5.50 
a  thousand  can  only  bunch  500,  which  enables  a  girl  to  make  $15.12  a 
week.  Out  of  104  bunch  makers  who  reported  on  the  number  bunched 
a  day  and  the  price  paid  a  thousand,  the  largest  number  received  |2.5(), 
and  the  next  $3.50.  As  some  of  these  bunched  as  many  as  1,000  at  the 
rate  of  $3.50,  they  made  $19.25  a  week.  However,  as  the  usual  number 
produced  in  a  day  by  bunch  makers  lies  between  700  and  900  and  the 
average  rate  is  $2.50;  the  average  wage  lies  between  $10  and  $12. 

One  hundred  seventy-two  rollers  reported  upon  the  number  of  cigars 
rolled  a  day  and  the  rate  paid.  The  prices  run  from  $2  a  thousand  to 
$7  a  thousand.  One  hundred  sixty-eight  out  of  the  172  received  $3.50, 
$3.75  and  $4.  The  number  of  cigars  rolled  a  day  ran  from  250  to  !M)0, 
the  majority  rolling  500  a  day.  A  girl  rolling  900  cigars  a  day  at  $4 
a  thousand  receives  $19.80  in  her  pay  envelope  at  the  end  of  the  week, 
but  as  the  majority  roll  500,  the  average  wages  for  rolling  falls  between 
$10  and  $12,  as  in' bunch  making. 

Packers  receive  from  30  cents  to  $1  a  thousand  and  pack  from  1,500 
to  4,000.  Fifty-one  reported  on  numbers  packed  and  prices.  The  largest 
number  received  55  cents  a  thousand.  Those  receiving  30  cents  packed 
cigars  in  cans  and  packed  from  5,000  to  7,000,  making  about  $9.90  a 
week.  Packing  3,000  at  $1  gives  the  packer  $16.50  a  week,  but  the  ma- 
jority pack  3,000  at  55  cents,  which  makes  the  average  wage  for  the 
packer  $9.07. 

APPRENTICESHIP. 

While  few  industries  enable  their  workers  to  make  as  much  money  as 
cigar  making,  none  require  so  long  a  time  to  learn.  The  majority  of 
girls  learning  to  make  cigars  take  six  months  to  attain  the  proficiency 
that  enables  them  to  turn  out  a  perfect  cigar,  and  another  six  months 
to  acquire  the  speed  that  sends  the  weekly  pay  above  the  $7  mark.  After 
the  first  year  the  rapidity  with  which  a  girl  advances  depends  upon  the 
deftness  and  agility  of  her  fingers,  and  the  energy  with  which  she  ap- 
plies herself  to  her  task. 

As  the  Polish  girls  marry  young  and  are  lost  to  the  trade  when  they 
pass  the  age  of  25,  unless  adverse  circumstances — a  husband  ill  or  out 
of  work — force  them  back  to  the  factory,  the  cigar  factories  do  not  care 
to  take  the  trouble  to  teach  a  girl  over  IS  years  of  age,  as  they  desire  a 
few  years  of  her  time  before  the  period  of  her  domesticity.  According  to 
their  reckoning  the  younger  a  girl  begins,  the  better;  and  so  106  girls  out 
of  the  807  interviewed  were  under  16  years  of  age,  though  at  the  same 
time  the  teacher  of  cigar  making  admits  that  the  16-year-old  girls  learn 
faster  than  those  of  14.  Out  of  the  807  employes  interrogated  158  were 
apprentices. 


The  first  two  weeks  the  beginner  learns  how  to  handle  her  tobacco, 
but  her  results  are,  as  a  rule,  entirely  useless  as  cigars,  and  are  ground 
up  and  sold  as  '"scrap"  for  smoking  tobacco.  After  three  weeks  of 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  427 

"cigar  making"  she  lupins  to  turn  out  cigars  Hint  will  smoke,  though 
they  are  more  or  less  defective,  and  arc  sold  only  as  seconds.  The  number 
of  usable  cigars  made  and  the  rate  of  speed  during  the  first  few 
mouths,  depends  wholly  upon  the  girl,  and  there  is  some  variation.  The 
following  figures  were  taken  from  interviews  with  46  bunch  maker  ap- 
prentices: 

At  the  end  of  the  3rd  week —  25  to  150  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 
At  the  end  of  the  1st  month —  50  to  250  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 
At  the  end  of  the  3rd  month — 100  to  300  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 
At  the  end  of  the  4th  month — 250  to  450  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 
At  the  end  of  the  5th  month — 300  to  550  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 
At  the  end  of  the  1st  year  — 450  to  1,000  usable  cigars  are  bunched. 

The  prices  paid  the  bunch  makers  the  first  year  range  from  $1  to 
s±50  a  thousand,  as  there  is  much  waste  of  tobacco,  and  iirst  year  girls 
are  never  put  on  the  higher  grade  goods. 

Hunch  making  is  learned  quicker  than  rolling — that  is,  the  girl  is  able 
to  acquire  speed  more  easily.  Figures  taken  from  interviews  with  1)0 
rollers  give  the  following  rate  of  progress: 

At  the  end  of  the  3rd     week —  25  to  100  usable  cigars  are  rolled. 

At  the  end  pf  the   1st  month —  50   to   200  usable   cigars  are   rolled. 

At  the  end  of  the  3rd  month — 100   to   250  usable  cigars  are  rolled. 

At  the  end  of  the  4th  month — 200  to  300  usable  cigars  are  rolled. 

At  the  end  of  the  5th  month— 250   to   400  usable  cigars  are   rolled. 

At  the  end  of  the   1st     year  — 300   to   550  usable   cigars  are  rolled. 

Kollers  are  paid  the  first  year  from  SI. 75  to  $:j  a  thousand. 

Ten  and  15  years  ago  apprentices  paid  to  learn  cigar  making,  but  now 
cigar  factories  pay  girls  while  learning.  There  is  some  variation  among 
the  factories  taking  apprentices  in  regard  to  their  rates  and  methods. 
Several  factories  give  the  beginners  a  check  for  f2  every  week  until  the 
seventh,  when  the  girl  is  put  on  piece-work  and  paid  for  what  she  is 
able  to  produce.  When  she  has  been  with  the  company  six  months  she 
can  get  her  six  S2  checks  cashed.  This  is  to  insure  the  girl  staying  so  that 
the  cost  of  teaching  and  the  tobacco  spoiled  will  not  be  a  total  loss  to 
the  firm.  One  factory  pays  girls  $1  a  week  for  six  weeks,  and  then  puts 
them  on  piece-work.  Another  pays  $2.50  a  week  for  the  first  six  weeks. 
Two  factories  require  the  girls  to  give  their  first  two  weeks,  and  then 
they  are  paid  piece-work  rates. 

WOUK  FOR  KK;IIT  <M:\TS  A  WKEK. 

The  factory  having  the  largest  number  of  apprentices  thinks  the  best 
method  to  interest  and  encourage  the  girls  to  careful  work  is  to  pay 
them  from  the  beginning  just  what  they  produce,  and  the  first  few 
weeks  the  pay  envelope  is  apt  to  contain  anywhere  between  8  cents  and 
30  cents,  up  to,  say  SL'  a!  the  end  of  four  weeks.  While  this  is  not  as 
profitable  to  employes  as  the  rates  of  some  of  the  other  factories,  it 
keeps  the  girls  on  the  alert  trying  to  beat  one  another,  and  expectant 
at  the  end  of  the  week  to  learn  just  how  many  usable  cigars  they  have 
made.  A  girl  of  14  is  much  more  interested  iu  her  2.'»  cents,  which 
usually  her  parents  permit  her  to  keep,  thair  a  s2  check  to  be  cashed  six 
months  hence  and  turned  over  to  her  mother. 


428  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

Girls  of  14  and  15,  fresh  from  playing  with  dolls,  are  not  particularly 
interested  in  learning  to  make  nice  smooth  little  rolls  of  brown  leaves, 
the  use  of  which  they  scarcely  comprehend — beyond  the  fact  that  some 
unknown  man  will  light  a  match  to  one  end  and  draw  smoke  out  of  the 
other.  One  foreman  exclaimed: 

"Why,  these  children  play  at  their  work!     They  are  lazj^." 

When  the  little  girls  with  the  two  braids  down  their  backs  were  de- 
fended on  the  plea  of  their  childhood,  the  foreman  replied : 

"But  they  should  be  learning  to  make  cigars  so  that  they  can  sup- 
port their  parents." 

PICKING  THE    OCCUPATION. 

The  factory  that  pays  a  piece  rate  from  the  first  week  has,  in  order 
to  get  their  pupils  interested,  the  best  and  most  systematic  school  of 
cigar  making  in  the  State.  It  has  a  large  force  of  teachers — ten  to  the 
usual  two  of  other  factories.  When  the  pupils  have  learned  the  funda- 
mentals of  constructing  a  cigar,  that  is,  all  that  it  should  be  in  shape, 
size  and  smoothness,  they  are  taken  from  the  beginners'  room  and  scat- 
tered among  girls  of  one  or  more  years'  experience.  Two  apprentice 
bunch  makers  are  placed  on  either  side  of  an  experienced  roller,  and  they 
acquire  speed  just  in  keeping  her  supplied.  Several  rollers  are  placed 
near  an  experienced  bunch  maker,  and  they  must  hustle  to  cover  the 
cigars  she  bunches. 

The  superintendent  was  asked  how  she  decided  which  girl  would 
make  a  roller  and  which  a  bunch  maker.  She  replied  that  she  looks 
at  their  hands.  If  the  hand  is  small  and  the  fingers  tapering,  she 
teaches  the  girl  to  roll.  If  the  hand  is  large,  she  makes  a  bunch  maker 
of  her,  as  the  maker  of  bunches  must  be  able  to  hold  in  the  palm  of  her 
hand  the  quantity  of  tobacco  necessary  to  fill  the  cigar. 

Cigar  manufacturers  say  it  costs  them  from  |50  to  f  150  for  each  ap- 
prentice taught,  as  they  waste  more  than  half  the  tobacco  at  first,  and 
few  of  the  cigars  can  be  used,  but  they  say  it  is  an  unavoidable  expense, 
as  they  must  be  instructing  the  cigar  makers  for  the  coming  year.  Only 
large  factories  bother  with  apprentices. 

Packing  is  easier  to  learn  than  cigar  making,  and  involves  no  waste 
of  material.  Those  desiring  to  learn  packing  are  put  at  banding  for 
several  months  so  that  they  may  become  accustomed  to  handling  cigars, 
and  familiar  with  the  color  and  arrangement  of  them.  As  banders  they 
are  paid  at  the  rate  of  from  25  cents  to  50  cents  a  thousand.  While 
learning  packing  it  is  customary  to  pay  f  1  the  first  week,  |2  the  second 
and  so  on  till  the  seventh  week  when  the  packer  is  put  on  piece-work. 

Strippers  require  no  apprenticeship  whatever.  The  new  hand  is  put 
on  the  filler,  and  a  week's  time  enables  her  to  strip  the  stem  from  the 
leaf.  She  is  advanced  to  the  binder  and  wrapper  as  she  shows  care 
and  economy  in  neither  tearing  nor  wasting  the  leaf.  There  is  no  order 
of  advancement.  It  is  arranged  according  to  the  needs  of  the  stripping 
room. 

The  miscellaneous  jobs  are  filled  by  those  girls  who  do  not  want  to 
spend  the  time  learning  a  trade  or  who  are  making  up  their  minds  about 
it,  or  those  who  are  unable  to  learn  to  make  cigars.  Many  fall  into  this 
group  for  it  requires  patience  and  the  ability  to  sit  still  all  day. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  429 


HEALTHFULNESS    OF   THE    WORK    AND    SANITATION   OP   THE    FACTORIES. 

That  the  making  of  cigars  is  not  considered  by  the  workers  injurious 
to  health  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  only  2G  out  of  807  had  any  complaint 
to  make  of  the  work.  Some  of  these  said  that  the  odor  of  the  tobacco 
gave  them  headaches,  but  most  of  the  complaints  were  of  nervous  fatigue 
from  sitting  still  so  long  and  working  so  steadily.  This,  however,  is  the 
usual  cry  from  all  occupations  that  necessitate  long  and  continuous  sit- 
ting, whether  at  a  typewriter  or  at  a  cigar  maker's  table. 

The  suffering  from  headaches  from  the  odor  is  mostly  a  matter  of 
ventilation.  In  factories  having  large  and  roomy  workrooms  this  com- 
plaint is  not  heard.  As  the  leaf  used  both  by  the  stripper  and  cigar 
maker  is  damp,  there  is  no  dust  except  from  the  scraps  that  have  fallen 
to  the  floor,  and  in  factories  where  the  floors  are  swept  every  evening 
there  is  no  noticeable  dust  whatever.  Dust  may  be  found  in  small  fac- 
tories that  are  careless  about  cleaning  up. 

There  is  a  general  impression  that  the  girls  bite  off  the  ends  of  the 
cigars.  This  is  absolutely  forbidden  and  is  only  done  where  the  foremen 
or  fore-ladies  are  careless  about  reprimanding  the  workers  for  so  doing. 
It  is  a  little  quicker  to  bite  the  ends  instead  of  stopping  to  cut  them, 
and  some  girls  do  it;  but  it  is  not  customary,  and  the  investigators  saw 
very  little  of  it  being  done. 

There  is  little  or  no  welfare  work  done  in  cigar  factories.  Out  of  30 
establishments  visited  only  five  had  lunch  rooms.  This  is  because  cigar 
factories  are  usually  near  enough  to  the  workers'  homes  to  enable  them 
to  eat  their  mid-day  meal  with  their  families.  Half  of  the  factories  had 
good  toilet  and  wash  rooms,  and  the  remainder  were  divided  between 
fair  and  poor.  In  the  small  factories  there  is  a  negligence  in  keeping 
the  toilets  properly  scrubbed.  None  were  reported  in  bad  condition. 


430  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Table    No.    60.— SUMMARY    OF    THE    CIGAR   INDUSTRY   TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited 

0 

Establishments  investigated  

30 

Employes  interr  gated  

807 

American-born  

631 

78.3 

Foreign-born  

175 

21.7 

Living  at  home  

670 

83.0 

Adrift  :  

137 

17.0 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  

176 

21.8 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  

334 

42.0 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  

462 

58.0 

Working  under  1  year  

202 

25.0 

Working  under  3  years 

398 

49.3 

Working  3  years  arid  over  

409 

50.7 

Have  followed  other  occupations  

263 

32.6 

Under  16  years  of  age  

106 

13.1 

Under  20  years  o^  a^e 

482 

59.7 

Under  25  years  of  age  

681 

84.5 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

"125 

15.5 

Single 

688 

85.3 

Married  '  

85 

10.5 

Widowed  

16 

2.0 

Separated  or  divorced  -.....'  

18 

2.2 

SMOKING  AND  CHEWING  TOBACCO. 

There  is  nothing  in  common  between  the  cigar  and  the  smoking  and 
chewing  tobacco  industries,  except  the  material  nsed.  Unlike  cigar 
making  it  is  not  a  skilled  trade.  The  work  done  by  women  is  of  the 
simplest  nature,  and  can  be  learned  in  a  week.  There  are  five  factories 
in  Michigan,  all  of  which  are  in  Detroit,  and  all  were  visited.  Because 
of  the  necessity  for  machinery  in  manufacturing  chewing  and  shioking 
tobacco,  this  industry  is  usually  carried  on  in  large  factories.  However, 
in  Michigan  two  are  of  medium  size  and  one,  which  merely  puts  up  the 
natural  leaf  for  smoking,  is  very  small. 

REGULARITY  OF   WORK  AND   HOURS. 

The  work  is  not  seasonal,  but  in  some  factories  inventory  is  taken 
four  times  a  year,  involving  the  loss  of  from  two  to  three  weeks.  Because 
the  employes  are  largely  Polish  and  refuse  to  work  on  Polish  holidays, 
some  factories  suspend  work  on  those  days  rather  than  work  with  half 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  431 

ji  force.  Thus  the  lime  lost  during  the  year  due  to  inventory  and  holi- 
days amounts  to  at  least  live  \veeks.  Wherever  there  is  a  mixed  plan 
of  paying,  both  by  piece-work  and  by  the  day,  holidays — legal  as  well  as 
church — are  deducted  from  the  wages. 

All  the  tobacco  factories  work  54  hours  a  week,  !H/[>  hours  daily,  and 
a  half-day  on  Saturday. 

OCCUPATIONS    WITHIN    THE    INDrSTRV     A  XD    THE    WAGES. 

At  the  warehouses  situated  near  where  the  tobacco  is  grown,  the 
leaves  arc  sorted  and  packed  in  hogsheads  and  stored  for  months  to  im- 
prove the  leaf  by  ''sweating."  When  it  arrives  at  the  factory  it  is  taken 
lo  the  top  floor  where  the  hogshead  is  removed  by  men.  The  huge  mold- 
ed mass  of  leaves  is  pulled  apart  by  women  and  is  called  "opening  the 
tobacco."  It  is  then  placed  in  a  large  machine  where  it  is  steamed. 
This  is  always  done  by  men.  It  is  then  ready  for  the  strippers,  who 
remove  the  stems.  The  strippers  are  usually  old  women  or  immigrants 
who  cannot  speak  English.  Jt  is  a  very  simple  operation,  as  there  is 
not  the  necessity  for  care  that  is  required  of  a  cigar  stripper,  because 
the  leaf  may  be  torn  or  broken  without  injuring  it.  The  strippers  are 
usually  paid  by  piece-work,  and  the  rate  is  made  on  the  pounds  of  stems 
removed  to  make  sure  that  none  are  left  in. 

In  some  factories  the  strippers  are  paid  by  the  day  and  receive  $1  or 
sl.-j.")  a  da\.  depending  upon  the  speed  and  care  used.  A  few  of  the  best 
strippers  are  given  the  special  work  of  stemming  the  leaves  that  must  be 
kept  whole1  with  which  to  wrap  the  plug  tobacco. 

When  the  leaf  has  left  the  strippers'  hands  it  is  mixed  in  large  vats 
with  a  liquid  flavoring  made  up  of  licorice,  sugar,  molasses,  maple  or 
whatever  flavor  the  manufacturer  wishes  to  give  his  goods.  The  mixture 
is  made  by  a  man  trusted  with  the  secret  recipe.  All  this  work  is  done 
by  men,  though  sometimes  women  assist.  The  tobacco  is  then  put  in 
large  bins  and  dried  and  stored  for  a  month  or  more,  when  it  is  spread 
out  on  the  floor,  and  moistened  by  means  of  sprinkling  from  a  sprinkling 
can  a  liquid  containing  more  flavor.  This  is  also  done  by  men,  though 
one  girl  was  found  at  this  task. 

The  tobacco  is  then  cut  or  shredded,  depending  upon  what  its  next 
stale  is  to  be.  If  smoking  tobacco,  it  may  be  left  in  its  sweetened  leaf 
form,  and  is  known  as  "scrap,"  or  it  may  be  chopped  up  if  it  happens  to 
be  the  mixture  intended  for  "cut  plug,"  or  it  is  shredded  and  is  called 
"line  cut."  Chewing  tobacco  is  shredded  and  becomes  "long  cut,"  or  it 
is  coarselv  cut  and  made  into  plugs,  or  left  uncut  and  converted  into 
-twists." 

PLUG  TOBACCO. 

In  the  making  of  plug  tobacco,  the  cut,  moist,  sticky  leaf  is  weighed 
by  women,  and  thrown  into  a  machine  which  shapes  it  into  long,  oblong 
cakes.  The  machine  work  is  done  by  men.  It  is  then  taken  to  tables 
where  girls  wrap  the  cakes  with  large  leaves,  and  it  again  passes 
through  a  pressing  machine  operated  by  men.  The  wrapping  is  piece- 
work, and  the  girls  make  from  si  to  $i:>.  At  the  end  of  three  months 
a  girl  can  make  $7.  If  a  girl  is  speedy  she  can  make  $11  a  week  at  the 
end  of  her  first  year.  However,  they  sometimes  reach  $10  after  six 


432  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

months'  experience.  One  little  girl  of  16  was  taken  from  the  stamping 
department,  where  she  was  paid  f  5.50  a  week,  and  taught  to  wrap  plug 
tobacco,  and  at  the  end  of  three  months  the  amount  in  her  pay  envelope 
was  |10.25.  To  accomplish  this  she  must  wrap  more  than  4,000  plugs  a 
day. 

When  the  plug  tobacco  comes  a  second  time  from  the  press  it  is  ready 
to  be  boxed  or  labeled  or  have  a  tin  tag  attached,  according  to  the  way 
the  factory  wrishes  it  to  appear  on  the  market.  Young  girls  are  em- 
ployed to  do  this  work,  and  are  paid  from  $5  to  $6  a  week. 

Twist  chewing  tobacco  is  made  entirely  by  hand  and  the  work  is  all 
done  by  women.  This  pays  from  |8  to  |11  piece-work  and  requires  more 
skill  than  \vrapping  plugs.  It  is  the  stickiest  and  most  unpleasant  of 
these  operations.  "Long  Cut"  tobacco  requires  no  further  treatment 
after  leaving  the  machine  except  packing  it  in  cans  or  packages,  or  in 
pails  to  be  sold  in  bulk  by  the  ounce. 

SMOKING    TOBACCO. 

The  smoking  tobacco  is  fed  directly  from  the  cutting  machine  to  the 
tables  of  the  packers  on  the  floor  below  by  long  chutes,  which  can  be 
shifted  back  and  forth  to  feed  the  table  of  each  girl.  Packing  has  been 
done  by  hand  for  years,  but  packing  machines  are  beginning  to  replace 
the  hand  packer  in  the  newest  factories.  The  machines  are  expensive 
but  can  be  operated  by  young  girls.  Should  all  the  factories  adopt 
them  a  number  of  women  who  have  acquired  skill  in  hand  packing  will 
be  out  of  jobs. 

At  present  hand  packing  is  most  generally  followed,  except  in  one 
establishment.  The  hand  packers  either  sit  or  stand  at  tables  piled  high 
with  sweetened  cut  leaf.  With  a  hand  trained  by  long  practice,  the 
packer  scoops  up  just  the  right  amount  from  her  pile,  puts  the  tin  upon 
her  scales  to  verify  the  weight,  places  the  bag  on  the  end  of  an  oblong 
funnel,  turns  it  right  side  up,  throws  in  the  measure  of  tobacco,  plunges 
in  a  wooden  mold  to  press  it  down,  pulls  out  the  funnel,  draws  the 
siring,  puts  it  on  the  rack,  and  it  is  ready  to  be  carried  away  and 
credited  to  her,  for  this  is  all  piece-work.  These  women  pack  from 
1,000  to  2,000  packages  a  day,  making  from  $6  to  $12  a  week.  Some 
can  make  $6  at  the  end  of  two  weeks,  and  reach  $10  at  the  end  of  five 
months'  experience,  but  the  majority  cannot  make  over  $8  a  week  at  the 
end  of  the  first  year. 

In  this  hand  packing  there  are  ten  movements  in  handling  each  pack- 
age, so  that  a  woman  handling  2,000  packages  a  day,  or  222  an  hour,  has 
made  20,000  movements  in  the  0  working  hours,  which  is  less  than  two 
seconds  for  each  mcrvement. 

In  the  machine  packing  factories,  the  tobacco  comes  down  a  chute  in 
the  same  way,  and  is  measured  and  fed  into  machines  by  women.  An- 
other set  of  women  put  bags  on  these  machines,  or  feed  in  waxed  paper. 
In  the  case  of  the  bags,  when  they  come  out  they  are  ready  to  be 
stamped.  From  the  others  come  the  waxed  paper  packages  which  are 
put  into  tins  or  wrapped  with  tinfoil.  These  women  are  paid  by  the 
week  and  receive  from  f 5  to  $7.50. 

Upon  all  these  packages  must  be  placed  government,  stamps  and  this 
is  done  both  by  the  young  girl  at  her  first  job,  who  receives  $5  a  week, 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  433 

and  by  the  speedy  piece-worker  who  can  make  as  high  as  f  18.  Some 
packages  must  be  labeled,  and  this  is  also  done  both  by  the  day  and 
piece-workers.  The  girls  are  usually  kept  on  week  work  the  first  year 
at  from  |5  to  $7,  when  they  are  put  on  piece-work,  where  they  quickly 
go  up  to  $9  and  $10. 

There  are  several  miscellaneous  jobs,  such  as  the  clerk  who  gives  out 
the  government  stamps,  the  little  girls  who  put  the  packages  into  large 
pasteboard  boxes  called  "cartons"  and  "cannisters."  Three  women  in 
one  factory  stood  on  a  platform  watching  the  tobacco  as  it  came  from 
the  dryer  to  locate  and  extract  any  stray  stem  that  had  been  left  in  by 
the  stripper.  Another  group  tossed  the  "fine  cut"  about  on  a  table  to 
prevent  any  bunching  or  massing  from  the  shredding  machine.  Other 
girls  took  packages,  freshly  pasted  with  labels  or  government  stamps, 
from  the  dryer,  which  they  had  entered  on  a  belt  that  carried  them  from 
a  labeler  or  stamper.  In  one  of  the  older  factories  where  the  supply  of 
tobacco  was  not  fed  to  the  tables  by  chutes,  a  girl  filled  a  large  can 
from  the  trucks  and  carried  tobacco  to  the  tables  as  needed.  This  was 
the  only  heavy  work  done  by  a  woman.  The  lifting  and  moving  of 
trucks  are  done  by  men,  unless  a  girl  pushes  one  to  get  it  out  of  her 
way.  This  is  not,  however,  required  of  them.  These  miscellaneous  jobs 
pay  from  $5  to  $7.50  a  week.  ' 

HEALTHFULNESS    OP    THE    WORK    AND    SANITATION    OF    THE    FACTORIES. 

A  pei-son  passing  a  tobacco  factory  and  getting  a  whiff  of  the  strong 
pungent  odor  of  molasses  soaked  tobacco  leaves  may  think  that  work 
in  such  an  occupation  must  be  injurious.  This  impression  is  not  veri- 
fied by  reports  from  employes.  From  the  162  workers  interviewed  only 
11  complained  that  the  work  was  injurious.  Of  the  11,  three  said  the 
work  was  dusty,  and  one  complained  of  a  lack  of  ventilation;  two  said 
the  odor  made  them  sick,  two  complained  of  the  effects  of  speeding,  and 
three  found  the  cans  and  cases  of  tobacco  to  be  lifted  too  heavy. 

Except  the  two  complaints  of  the  effect- upon  the  stomach,  all  these 
reported  injurious  results  can  be  remedied  by  employers.  The  strippers' 
room  could  be  freed  of  much  of  the  dust  by  some  mechanical  system  of 
ventilation,  and  the  strippers  could  be  made  more  comfortable  by  a  bet- 
ter arrangement  of  seats.  The  stripper  usually  sits  on  a  low  bench,  and 
while  there  were  no  complaints  concerning  them,  they  appeared  to  be 
uncomfortable. 

The  strain  of  the  rapid  movements  of  the  speeding  piece-work  packers 
will  eventually  be  relieved  by  machine  packing.  One  girl  jerked  head 
and  arms  while  she  worked,  and  another  had  her  wrists  bound  to  pre- 
vent them  from  swelling  as  a  result  of  plunging  in  the  mold  to  press  the 
tobacco  into  the  bags.  The  machinery  used  by  the  women  is  not  danger- 
ous. The  girls  stand  at  their  work,  as  a  rule,  because  they  can  work 
faster,  although  stools  are  in  nearly  every  case  provided. 

The  two  largest  factories  had  lunch  rooms,  and  one  supplied  coffee 
free  of  charge.  The  newest  of  these  factories  had  adequate  and  well 
kept  and  arranged  toilet  rooms.  Two  housed  in  old  buildings  had  satis- 
factory accommodations,  but  they  could  be  improved  by  a  thorough 
scrubbing  and  a  coat  of  paint,  as  the  marks  of  tobacco  stained  hands 
were  on  every  door.  Two  of  the  smaller  factories  had  very  bad  toilets 
55 


434 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 


opening  directly  from -the  work  rooms;  and  sinks  with  granite  wash 
basins  were  the  only  means  by  which  sticky  tobacco  could  be  removed 
from  the  hands  before  leaving  the  building  or  eating  lunch.  No  welfare 
work  of  any  order  was  found. 

THE  WORKERS. 

Over  half  the  employes  in  the  tobacco  factories  are  Polish  women 
speaking  no  English.  As  these  women  do  the  stripping  and  unskilled 
work  and,  because  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  an  interpreter  the  162 
interviewed  represent  the  English  speaking  women.  Of  these  48  wore 
foreign-born  and  114  were  born  in  this  country  of  foreign  parentage 
with  the  exception  of  16  who  reported  American  parents. 

Out  of  the  162  interrogated  104  expected  to  make  more  money:  .">() 
piece-workers  by  attaining  more  speed,  44  week  workers  by  getting  a 
raise,  and  10  by  being  put  on  piece-work.  Of  the  50  who  reported  that 
they  could  see  no  chance  to  make  more  money,  several  confessed  that 
they  had  no  speed,  and  many  that  they  had  acquired  as  much  speed  as 
was  possible  for  them  to  attain.  These  are  usually  the  older  workers. 
At  the  end  of  three  years  the  piece-workers  reach  their  maximum,  and 
after  that  either  hold  it  or  lose  it,  depending  upon  the  girl's  youth  and 
vitality. 

Table  No.  61.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  TOBACCO  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Percent. 

Localities  visited 

1 

Establishments  investigated  

5 

Employes  interrogated  

162 

114 

70  4 

48 

•2(i  li 

Liv'ing  at  home                                                                                              

1151 

80  9 

31 

19.1 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  

31 

19.1 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  

88 

54.3 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  

74 

45  7 

Working  under  1  year  

64 

39.5 

Working  under  3  years  

103 

63.6 

50 

36.4 

Have  followed  other  occupations  .,  

78 

48.1 

TT  d     Ifi             f 

21 

13.0 

u  iiutT  10  yeaix  01  age  .  

Under  20  years  of  age  

95 

58.6 

Under  25  years  of  age                                     

142 

87.7 

20 

12.3 

Single  •  

138 

85.2 

Married     .                                     

17 

10.5 

Widowed  

4 

2.5 

S            d      d'     r    d 

3 

1.8 

eparae 

APPENDIX  W. 


GARMENT  MAKERS. 

Eleven  garment  making  factories  in  Detroit  were  investigated,  em- 
ploying from  nine  to  900  women  workers  each.  There  were  374  interro- 
gated. They  manufacture  ladies',  misses'  and  children's  dresses,  for 
home  and  street  wear;  aprons  and  middy  blouses,  and,  in  one  factory, 
a  few  overalls,  shirts  and  nightshirts,  pajamas  and  cheap  pants.  There 
were  also  places  where  kimonos -and  dressing-sacques  were  made. 

Factory  conditions  vary,  some  are  in  clean,  light  and  airy  modern 
buildings,  equipped  with  restaurant,  rest  rooms,  emergency  first  aids, 
sprinkler  system  in  case  of  fire,  fire  escapes  and  sanitary  toilet  rooms; 
one  was  poorly  lighted,  unclean,  without  anything  in  the  shape  of  a 
fire  escape  except  the  words  '"Fire  Escape"  printed  on  the  door  leading 
to  the  roof,  from  which  there  was  no  way  of  reaching  the  ground,  except 
by  jumping. 

WAGES. 

Wages  vary.  Experienced  girl  operators  in  the  best  factories  set  the 
prices  for  piece-work  as  the  styles  come  in  each  season.  A  machine 
operator  may  make  as  high  as  |20  per  week,  though  girls  are  not  able 
to  continuously  keep  up  the  speed  producing  this  wage.  From  $10  to  |12 
is  a  fair  average  for  good  workers  to  make  in  the  busy  season,  with  a 
falling  off  during  the  summer  months  to  fS  or  less  per  week.  In  the 
poorer  class  of  factories,  and  where  the  workers  are  mostly  foreigners, 
wages  for  good  workers  will  not  exceed  $6.50  even  for  the  busy  season. 

High-class  workers,  making  from  $8  to  |12  per  week,  generally  set  the 
living  wage  amount  at  $10  per  week,  but  say  that  with  care,  a  girl 
should  be  able  to  provide  for  the  usual  loss  of  time,  which  is  about  five 
weeks,  and  for  ordinary  doctor  and  dentist  bills,  besides  living  expenses, 
and  should  not  need  help  unless  on  account  of  long  illness1.  Even  if  the 
girl  receives  $10  every  week  during  the  year,  with  the  exception  of  the 
average  five  weeks  lost,  they  said  she  would  not  be  able  to  save  much,  if 
any,  above  the  yearly  expenses,  or  to  provide  for  such  an  emergency  as 
loss  of  position,  serious  illness,  etc.  Girls  in  the  low  grade  shops,  em- 
ploying foreigners  exclusively,  many  of  whom  have  been  here  but  a  few 
months,  set  the  living  wage  at  $5  per  week.  When  such  a  girl  has  a 
better  grade  of  workers  near  her,  she  will,  of  course,  say  "$10,"  as  the 
others  do. 

A  LIVING    WAGE. 

The  girls  who  set  $10  as  the  lowest  proper  living  wage  were,  in  some 
cases,  living  at  home  themselves  and  paying  little  or  nothing  for  board. 


436  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

They  based  their  estimate  on  "what  it  would  cost  a  girl  alone,  who  had 
to  pay  for  everything,"  and  said  that,  even  if  living  at  home,  a  just 
amount  should  be  paid  for  board. 

The  girl  who  has  always  given  all  of  her  earnings  to  her  mother,  gen- 
erally has  no  idea  of  the  cost  of  living,  and  if  she  has,  it  is  often  be- 
cause her  people  keep  a  girl  boarder,  or  because  she  has  girl  friends  who 
have  to  pay  all  expenses.  The  home  girl  usually  shares  her  room  with 
one  or  more  members  of  the  family,  and  if  she  lives  with  relatives,  often 
has  to  sleep  with  one  of  the  children. 

Laundry  is  always  a  trial  to  the  girl  away  from  home,  and  she  has 
either  to  allow  an  undue  proportion  of  her  wage  to  pay  for  it,  or  is 
obliged  to  do  it  herself  Saturday  or  Sunday.  They  always  do  their  own 
laundering,  if  there  is  an  opportunity  to,  but  in  regular  rooming  houses 
it  is  impossible. 

CO-OPERATIVE   HOUSEKEEPING. 

Very  few  girls  reported  furnishing  their  own  rooms,  but  the  few  who 
have  done  so,  are  gainers.  After  the  first  struggle  to  pay  for  the  furni- 
ture, the  cost  of  meals,  laundry,  amusements,  and  even  clothes,  becomes 
lower.  Friends  spend  the  evening  with  her;  she  has  better  meals  for 
much  less  than  she  had  been  forced  to  pay  at  restaurants,  and  she  can 
press  her  clothes  and  keep  them  looking  well  until  discarded.  One  rea- 
son so  few  girls  adopt  this  plan  lies  in  the  fact  that  few  people  will  rent 
to  women  who  are  alone,  if  they  can  dispose  of  rooms  to  men  or  couples. 
Occasionally  several  girls  join  forces.  There  was  found  one  instance 
where  four  rented  two  rooms,  did  their  housekeeping  and  had  a  jolly 
time  being  together.  Each  paid  $4.50  per  week  as  her  share  for  rent 
and  groceries,  and  50  cents  for  laundry.  If  any  money  remained  at  the 
end  of  the  week,  it  was  laid  aside  for  amusements.  It  was  sometimes  a 
month  or  two  between  "treats,"  but  they  were  well  satisfied  with  their 
plan.  Each  one  had  to  pay  43  cents  a  week  for  laundry.  The  balance 
of  earnings  went  for  clothes,  dental  and  doctor  bills.  They  had  no  sav- 
ings accounts,  but  kept  a  little  "ahead." 

The  girl  here  but  a  short  time  from  Russia  pays  little  for  clothes  at 
first,  but  a  larger  percentage  of  earnings  for  board.  If  her  room  is 
separate,  she  pays  usually  $4  per  month  for  it,  but  her  meals  average 
$3.50  or  more  a  week.  They  try  to  live  near  the  factory,  and  spend  the 
balance  of  wage  for  clothes,  unless  they  have  some  one  at  home  need- 
ing help,  when  the  $G-a-week  girl  will  send  them  as  much  as  $25  a  year. 
There  is  one  other  expense  these  girls  seem  to  have  more  than  their  just 
share  of,  and  it  is  the  dentist  bill,  probably  due  to  lack  of  care  of  teeth. 

None  of  these  garment  making  factories  have  a  social  secretary.  No 
case  Avas  found  in  which  the  employer  favored  the  self-supporting 
woman,  or  the  one  who  had  others  dependent  upon  her,  when  laying  off 
help  in  slack  times.  If  two  are  equally  efficient,  one  living  at  home, 
and  the  other  without  relatives  in  the  city,  it  is  possible  that  the  latter 
will  be  laid  off,  and  the  former  kept  at  work. 

MOSTLY    MACHINE    OPERATORS. 

The  large  proportion  of  these  garment  makers  are  machine  operators. 
^A  great  many  kinds  of  machines  are  used  in  the  different  factories.  The 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  437 

work  is  of  so  many  styles  and  patterns,  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
slate  that  work  proceeded  in  a  certain  way,  and  have  that  method  apply 
to  all  kinds  of  garments  made.  However,  after  the  patterns  are  made, 
several  tons  of  paper  may  be  used  in  a  single  season  in  the  largest  es- 
tablishments for  patterns  alone.  The  material  is  first  sent  to  the  cut- 
ters, who  are  always  men,  this  part  of  the  work  being  too  heavy  for 
women.  A  great  many  thicknesses  of  material  are  cut  at  one  time,  and 
these  bundles  of  parts  of  garments  are  then  sent  to  the  dividers,  who 
separate'  them  into  the  sets  that  go  to  make  up  a  certain  kind  of  gar- 
ment. The  pieces  belonging  to  each  garment  are  made  into  a  bundle, 
and  the  machine  operator  begins  to  sew  them  together.  There  are  many 
varieties  of  machines  used  in  the  different  factories.  The  best  factories 
use  not  only  the  plain  sewing-machine,  set  to  make  sixteen  stitches  to 
the  inch,  but  also: 

Over-casting  machine, 

Binding  machine, 

Hemstitching  machine, 

Feather  stitching  machine, 

Pleating  machine, 

Scalloping  machine, 

Embroidery  machine, 

Eyelet  making  machine  (for  embroidered  eyelets), 

Button  covering  machine, 

Button-hole  machine, 

Button  sewing-machine, 

Hook-and-eye  sewing-machine,     • 

Perforating  machine   (for  making  embroidery  patterns). 

Besides  these  operators  of  machines,  there  are: 

Designers  (of  garments  and  embroidery), 

Pattern  makers, 

Stampers  (who  also  perforate  the  patterns  for  em- 
broidery), 

Dividers, 

Hand  sewers  (who  sew  on  buttons,  hooks  and  eyes,  make 
belts  and  ties  of  ribbon,  velvet  or  silk,  and  fasten 
them  on  garments,  and  make  other  kinds  of  trimmings.) 

There  are  also : 

Fore- women, 
Instructors, 
Examiners, 

Girls  who  lace  ties  in  middy  blouses, 
Ironers, 

Folders  and  pinners,  and  sorters  (who  prepare  the 
finished  garments  for  packing.)  The  packers  are  men. 

VARIETY -OF    SYSTEMS. 

There  is  as  much  variety  in  the  systems  used  in  different  factories,  as 
there  are  factories.     A  girl  beginner  may  be  employed  by  a  firm  that 


438  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

will  give  her  some  help  while  she  is  learning.  One  plan  is  to  give  a 
weekly  wage  of  $4.50  for  the  tirst  two  weeks,  and  |5  for  the  third  and 
fourth.  Account  is  kept  of  her  work,  and  if  she  earns  more  than  these 
amounts,  at  the  regular  piece-work  rates,  she  will  receive  what  she 
earns. 

There  are  many  instructors,  who  constantly  help  the  beginners.  An 
exceptional  woman  of  forty,  who  had  never  used  a  power  machine  be- 
fore, was  able  to  earn  more  than  the  |5  per  week  from  the  first.  This 
was  unusual.  Many  become  discouraged  and  leave  without  being  of  any 
benefit  to  the  firm  when  put  on  regular  piece-work  wages  at  the  end  of 
the  four  weeks.  A  few  are  determined  to  succeed,  although  progress  is 
slow. 

Another  plan  is  to  pay  regular  piece-work  rates,  and  30  per  cent  extra 
for  the  first  four  weeks.  Another  employer  made  no  promises,  but  if 
the  girl  looked  like  a  possible  future  operator,  he  gave  her  enough  over 
her  earnings  to  make  her  wages  |5  per  week,  until  she  got  a  start.  lie 
said  that  if  he  did  not  feel  willing  to  do  this,  he  let  the  girl  go  in  a  day 
or  so.  The  majority,  however,  pay  just  what  the  girls  earn,  but  give 
beginners  the  benefit  of  extra  instruction. 

WHERE   A   SMALL    FACTORY    IS   PREFERABLE. 

A  small  factory  may  be  more  desirable  from  the  employe's  standpoint, 
than  the  best  equipped  large  one.  In  fact,  where  the  work  is  not  so 
complicated,  and  where  the  work  is  subdivided  into  more  separate  oper- 
ations, the  operators  are  able  to  make  more  money,  although  the  manu- 
facturer pays  no  more  per  garment  for  the  making. 

Another  benefit  of  the  extra  subdividing  of  work  is  to  give  the  oper- 
ator an  opportunity  to  complete  all  of  her  work  each  week,  and  receive 
full  pay.  Where  the  girl  who  sews  up  a  garment,  must  let  it  go  to  other 
operators  for  binding,  to  another  for  embroidering,  etc.,  then  back  to 
the  first  operator  to  be  stitched  further,  and  then  to  be  examined  before 
she  can  receive  her  pay,  it  can  be  seen  that  it  will  often  happen  that 
much  of  her  work  will  be  in  an  incomplete  state  at  the  end  of  the  week, 
through  no  fault  of  her  own.  It  happens  in  these  cases  that  a  girl  may 
receive  but  $4  at  the  end  of  one  week,  and  |12  the  next.  This  is  a  great 
hardship  to  the  girl. 

In  smaller  factories  employing  from  150  to  -500  girls,  where  fewer 
numbers  of  styles  are  made  up,  and  where  there  are  none  of  the  fancy 
stitching  machines,  the  operators  are  able  to  make  better  wages,  on  the 
whole.  In  one  factory  150  girls  finished  100  dozen  misses'  and  children's 
dresses,  of  good  style  and  quality,  per  day.  This  factory  manufactured 
about  150  different  styles,  while  a  larger  factory  would  make  250  or 
more. 

A  small,  new  factory,  employing  from  10  to  15  girls  only,  made  up 
about  50  numbers  for  samples  first  of  the  season,  but  the  orders  came  on 
but  six  numbers,  and  the  operators  became  so  used  to  the  six  styles  thai 
they  were  able  to  make  more  garments  than  in  larger  factories. 

Amusement  was  provided  by  one  large  firm.  It  had  a  phonograph 
that  played  during  the  luncheon  hour,  and  was  greatly  enjoyed. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  439 

(JOOD   FACTORY   CONDITIONS. 

On  the  whole  the  factories  were  light  and  clean,  with  ample  space 
between  each  machine,  and  good  aisles,  free  from  obstruction.  Only  one 
factory  had  the  aisles  blocked  with  work,  and  it  was  also  in  this  factory 
that  the  machines  were  closest  together.  There  was  no  way  of  getting 
around  the  workers,  except  by  walking  over  the  work.  In  one  room  the 
work  was  piled  up  to  the  top  of  the  lower  sash  of  the  windows,  and  the 
room  was  already  a  dark  one.  Machines  in  this  factory  were  placed 
along  a  solid  brick  partition,  where  the  operators  had  to  use  artificial 
light  all  the  time.  This  was  in  order  to  save  the  installation  of  another 
motor.  This  was  in  the  room  where  the  work  blocked  the  windows. 
However,  the  manager's  office  was  even  more  badly  placed  than  the  ma- 
chines. While  there*  were  things  to  condemn  in  this  particular  estab- 
lishment, the  firm  took  a  goo<l  personal  interest  in  the  employes,  who 
made  but  few  complaints.  They  were  given  free  coffee,  but  ate  their 
lunches  at  the  machines.  One  other  firm  gave  free  coffee,  with  cream 
and  sugar,  and  furnished  tables  and  dishes,  allowing  no  lunches  to  be 
eaten  in  the  work  room.  Where  the  manufacturer  has  a  restaurant  in 
connection  with  the  factory,  it  is  sure  to  furnish  good  food  at  low  prices. 
In  the  garment  making  industry  as  well  as  in  all  other  large  industries, 
many  girls  are  able  to  pay  for  their  noon  meals  by  helping  serve. 

Very  few  of  the  garment  makers  in  these  branches  of  the  industry 
have  savings  accounts,  but  not  many  report  debts,  and  then  it  would 
probably  be  a  large  doctor  bill.  A  good  percentage  carry  insurance. 
Most  all  give  generously  to  the  church.  Many  have  others  to  support, 
some  of  them  sending  money  to  care  for  parents  "in  the  old  country." 

TOO   MUCH   TIME    LOST. 

One  of  the  universal  complaints  is  concerning  the  rule  that  piece- 
workers must  remain  in  the  factory  full  time,  whether  there  is  any 
work  or  not.  During  times  of  business  depression,  all  the  factories 
seem  to  run  full  time,  that  is,  keep  the  girls  the  full  number  of  hours, 
when  there  is  only  work  to  keep  them  busy  half  the  time.  Of  course. 
they  receive  no  compensation  for  the  idle  time.  They  all  say  that  if  they 
could  have  a  day  or  two  at  home,  the  many  things  they  could  do  for 
themselves  would  help  to  make  the  small  wage  go  further.  In  one  fac- 
tory the  girls  were  allowed  to  use  the  machines  to  do  their  own  sewing 
when  there  was  no  work  to  be  done  for  the  firm.  In  that  way,  they  man 
aged  to  make  their  clothing.  The  firm  also  sold  them  material  at  cost. 
Hut  it  is  not  customary.  The  time  lost  is  a  total  loss. 

POOR    VENTILATION.    FIRE    DRILLS,    ETC. 

There  is  great  need  of  a  proper  system  of  ventilation  in  the  factories, 
other  than  direct  ventilation  by  windows.  There  is  always  a  draught 
on  some  mi^.  when  windows  are  open,  and  ail  suffer  from  these  effects  of 
poor  air.  In  many  cases  lights  are  badly  placed,  and  eyes  are  injured. 
In  some  places  the  jarring  of  the  machinery  has  a  bad  effect  on  the 
nerves. 

There  is  need  of  compulsory  lire  drills,  in  all  factories.  Some  of  the 
owners  object  to  the  trouble,  and  some  of  the  girls  do  not  take  the  time. 


440  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

but  there  should  be  some  means  of  insisting  upon  regular  fire  drills. 

Sanitary  drinking  fountains  are  needed  in  factories  as  much  as  in 
other  places  where  there  are  many  people  to  use  them.  The  lack  of 
warm  water  for  washing  hands  in  many  of  the  factories  is  another 
thing  that  is,  in  a  measure,  injurious  to  health  of  girls.  The  heat  is 
already  in  the  building,  and  the  expense  would  be  merely  to  install 
plumbing.  It  would  be  humane,  at  least,  to  do  this  when  building. 

TOILETS. 

In  the  factories  of  this  industry,  as  in  all  others  where  women  are 
employed  in  the  State,  there  are  often  no  decent  toilet  accommodations. 
A  manufacturer  should  realize  that  no  worker  can  be  expected  to  be 
at  the  highest  point  of  efficiency  unless  all  of  the  demands  of  nature  are 
attended  to  when  necessary.  Many  modest  girls  deliberately  injure 
their  health  rather  than  make  use  of  the  improperly  situated  toilet 
rooms. 

SOME  FAVOR  A   MINIMUM   WAGE. 

As  to  what  the  women  wage-earners  themselves  thought  a  minimum 
wage  should  be  in  their  occupation,  the  efficient  girls  who  were  making 
|12  or  over  per  week,  did  not  favor  a  minimum  wage,  claiming  that  a 
girl  on  piece-work,  who  cannot  make  a  living  at  the  prices  then  paid 
after  a  year's  experience  at  the  most,  should  not  be  helped,  as  it  is  her 
own  fault,  or  she  is  in  the  wrong  occupation  for  her.  They  almost  all 
agree  that  she  should  have  flO  a  week  to  live  on. 

Most  of  the  girls  earning  under  $9  are  in  favor  of  a  minimum  wage 
law,  with  the  exception  of  the  older  women,  who  are  afraid  it  Avill  throw 
them  out  of  work.  Those  receiving  between  f  9  and  f  12  are  divided  on 
the  question. 

Employers  are  not  in  favor  for  different  reasons — about  one  reason 
to  each  employer.  Some  say  they  will  be  driven  out  of  business.  Some 
say  they  will  throw  out  every  girl  who  has  not  been  able  to  earn  the 
minimum.  One  said  there  would  be  ways  of  getting  around  a  law,  and 
the  employer  would  not  suffer,  but  it  would  put  a  lot  of  girls  "on  the 
street."  Many  employers  did  not  think  the  girls  knew  very  much  about 
the  matter,  but  one  must  give  the  girls  the  credit  of  being  quite  as  fair 
in  their  statements  as  the  employers. 

THE    MORAL  SIDE   OF  FACTORY  WORK. 

There  is  still  left  the  moral  side  of  factory  work.  All  employers  de- 
mand clean  talking  in  their  factories,  and  there  is  little  opportunity 
there  for  any  harm  to  the  girls  in  this  way.  One  girl  only  said  the  low 
wages  would  lead  her  to  wrongdoing.  An  investigation  of  this  girl  did 
not  show  this  to  be  true  in  her  case.  No  other  girl  made  any  such 
statement. 

Two  employers  have  taken  girls  from  the  House  of  the  Go'od  Shepherd. 
One  thought  he  had  helped  one  girl  to  live  right,  but  at  the  end  of  four 
years — the  two  first  being  to  her  credit,  as  she  was  one  of  his  best  oper- 
ators, and  the  two  last  growing  gradually  worse — she  had  given  up  all 
idea  of  working  for  a  living.  The  other  employer,  who  had  taken  over 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


441 


200  from  the  House  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  said  only  two  had  "made 
good."  At  the  wages  lie  pays,  and  under  the  conditions  the  girls  have 
to  work  in  that  factory,  I  am  surprised  that  even  two  "made  good." 

Table    No.    02.— SUMMARY   OF   THE   WOMEN'S   WASH   GARMENTS   INVESTIGATIONS 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

'  Per  cent. 

3 

14 

358 

229 

64  0 

129 

36  0 

237 

66  2' 

»    i    •  r  . 

121 

33  8 

Receiving  less  than  16  per  week                                    

73 

20  4 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week                                    

166 

48  4 

177 

51  6 

121 

33.8 

Working  under  3  years  

220 

61.5 

|     Working  3  years  aiui  over  

138 

38.5 

Have  followed  other  occupations  

212 

59.2 

9 

2.5 

Under  20  years  of  age  

96 

26.8 

Under  25  years  of  age  

191 

53.8 

25  years  of  age  and  over  

164 

46.2 

Single                                                                                                          

255 

71.2 

54 

15.1 

Widowed  

42 

11.7 

Separated  or  divorced  

7 

2.0 

MICHIGAN'S  SILK  GOWN  AND  WAIST  INDUSTRY. 

When  the  passer-by  stops  to  look  in  the  show  windows  of  the  depart- 
ment stores  at  the  smiling  wax  figures  robed  in  silk  and  lace,  the 
thought  usually  is,  "What  are  the  women  going  to  wear  this  winter?" 
It  is  .seldom,  or  never,  "Where  did  those  gowns  come  from?"  Yet  they 
did  come  from  somewhere,  and  in  this  age  we  know  that  they  did  not 
come  from  the  little  dressmaker's  shop  "around  the  corner."  When  we 
stop  to  think  we  know  that  all  ready-to-wear  garments  come  from  sonic 
factory,  and  yet  these  "creations"  (to  use  the  word  of  the  advertiser) 
do  not  suggest  power  machines,  button-hole  machines,  hemstitching  ma- 
chines, or  rooms  full  of  women  bending  over  the  needle.  Yet  it  is  true 
that  they  were  cut  and  fitted  and  put  together  in  a  factory. 

In  Michigan  there  are  three  factories    turning    out  these  copies  and 


442  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

modifications  of  Paris  fashions,  a  large  factory  employing  252  women, 
a  medium-sized  factory  where  72  women  work,  and  a  small  one  <>!'  20 
employes;  all  three  situated  in  one  moderate-sized  city.  These  three 
factories  were  visited  and  S4  women  were  interrogated. 

ALL    IN    GOOD   BUILDINGS. 

All  three  factories  occupied  good  buildings;  the  work  rooms  were 
clean  and  well  lighted,  and  the  sanitary  conditions  met  with  the  stipu- 
lated legal  requirements.  To  all  appearances  they  seemed  like  ideal 
places  in  which  to  work.  But  on  investigation  it  was  seen  that  the  mak- 
ing of  silk  gowns,  like  the  trimming  of  hats,  depends  on  the  fickleness 
of  Fashion.  If  not  seasonal  to  the  extent  that  the  liat  business  is, 
there  is  a  slack  season  of  two  months  in  the  late  autumn,  and  of  three 
months  between  the  first  of  April  and  the  end  of  June.  This  does  not 
apply  to  every  one,  as  the  makers  of  sample  gowns  work  all  the  year, 
and  the  others  are  laid  off  as  their  services  are  not  needed.  Those  inter- 
viewed reported  "lay-offs''  of  from  two  to  16  weeks,  depending  upon 
what  they  did  and  the  years  of  service  with  the  factory,  the  last  coiners 
being  the  first  to  be  ulet  out." 

FIXING  STYLES. 

The  designers  first  make  their  models  and  the  firms  send  salesmen  out 
to  department  stores  and  suit  houses  to  obtain  orders.  As  orders  come 
in  the  force  is  engaged  and  the  style  and  materials  are  made  up  accord- 
ingly. This  year,  1914,  the  spring  lay-off  lasted  longer  than  usual  be- 
cause the  orders  came  in  so  slowly.  The  styles  of  this  year  were  of  such 
marked  departure  from  those  preceding,  and  of  such  extreme  cut  the 
merchants  were  wary  of  placing  their  orders.  During  the  past  year  the 
fashion  in  skirts  changed  so  rapidly  that  they  were  overstocked  with 
out-of-date  garments  three  months  after  their  goods  had  reached  them. 
To  change  the  fashions  often  may  be  good  business,  but  to  overdo  it  is  to 
destroy  confidence.  The  woman  who  can  afford  only  one  silk  gown  a 
season  is  afraid  to  buy  .unless  she  is  sure  that  the  new  style  is  really 
going  to  be  worn.  And  so  the  operators  on  silk  gowns  have  to  take  a 
longer  enforced  vacation  while  Fashion  is  making  up  its  mind  upon  just 
what  models  to  settle. 

As  the  kimono  sleeve  was  very  easy  to  copy,  the  home  dressmaker 
looked  in  the  windows,  bought  a  pattern  and  made  her  own  waists  and 
gowns.  This  cut  off  the  output  of  the  factories  last  year,  so  this  year 
we  have  the  set-in  sleeve,  the  shirred  basque,  and  the  accordion  pleated 
skirt,  complicating  dressmaking  so  that  the  woman  who  desires  to  keep 
up  with  fashion  must  buy  her  clothes  ready  made.  It  is  an  irony  of  fate 
that  economy  practiced  at  home,  in  response  to  the  lectures  to  women 
against  extravagance,  means  that  her  sister  in  the  factory  will  have  her 
season  of  work  shortened.  When  it  takes  but  a  few  yards  to  make1  a 
dress  the  silk  mills  close  because  they  sell  less  material,  so  we  are  back 
to  fullness  of  skirts  and  many  buttons  and  button-holes  and  fluthigs 
and  pleatings.  Will  this  mean  more  work  to  the  silk  gown  operator? 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.      .  443 

OCCUPATIONS  WITHIN  THI:  i.xnrsTuv  AND  WAUES. 

The  operations  at  a  silk  gown  I'acloi-y  fall  into  two  kinds — machine 
and  hand  work.  In  addition  there  arc  a  IV w  women,  those  who  have 
readied  the  top  of  their  business,  who  design,  cut,  lit  models,  drape,  and 
inspect  the  finished  work.  These  are  paid  from  *12  upward. 

The  machine  work  is  of  three  kinds — the  makers  of  sample  gowns,  the 
ojM'ralors  of  special  machines,  and  the  routine  machine  work.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  operators  are  in  the  last  mentioned  division.  They  are 
given  the  waist  or  skirt  cut  out  with  all  the  trimmings  done  up  in  a 
bundle.  Tnlike  other  garment  making  the  operator  does  all  the  work, 
makes  the  entire  waist  or  skirt.  The  waist  operators  make  from  $2.75 
for  those  beginning,  to  $12  for  the  experienced  ones.  It  takes  six 
months'  experience  to  make  $5,  and  several  years  before  they  get  as  high 
as  ss  or  flO. 

A  skilled  operator  can  make  three  complete  waists  a  day.  The  skirt 
operators  make  from  f 7  to  f  12. 

The  work  is  all  piece-work,  and  the  machines  have  single  needles.  The 
girls  complain  that  they  lose  much  time  in  waiting  for  work,  as  only 
one  waist  or  skirt  is  brought  to  them  at  a  time.  And  they  can  not  bring- 
any  of  their  own  work,  as  no  bundles  are  permitted  to  be  carried  in  or 
out  of  the  work  room,  because  of  the  expensive  materials  they  work 
on. 

MANY    MACHINES. 

There  are  numerous  special  machines — cording  machines,  tucking 
machines,  hemstitching  machines,  fluters,  button  machines,  and  button- 
hole machines.  The  button  making  and  the  fluting  are  done  by  the  in- 
experienced girls,  as  the  operation  consists  in  merely  feeding  the  ma- 
chine, and  they  are  paid  from  $4  to  $7  a  week.  The  other  special  ma- 
chines are  like  an  ordinary  sewing-machine  run  by  power  with  a  special 
kind  of  "foot."  This  work  requires  much  care  so  the  operators  are  paid 
a  weekly  rate  of  from  $7  to  $11. 

While  the  making  of  sample  gowns  is  exactly  like  the  making  of  the 
gowns  on  order,  there  is  no  opportunity  for  speeding  by  becoming 
familiar  with  a  certain  kind  of  work.  Kach  sample  gown  is  apt  to  be  just 
a  little  bit  different,  so  these  operators  are  selected  from  the  best  of  the 
experienced  girls,  and  they  are  paid  a  weekly  rate  of  from  $!)  to  f  !•'>. 

Hand  sewing  consists  of  finishing  off  the  ends;  sewing  on  buttons, 
and  hooks  and  eyes;  making  trimming  such  as  bows  and  covering 
buckles,  and  sewing  them  on  waists;  making  girdles  and  collars  and 
cuffs.  This  work  is  usually  done  by  the  very  old,  and  the  very  young 
— fhose  timid,  about  operating  the  power  machines.  The  young  girls, 
just  out  of  school,  sew  on  buttons  and  hooks  and  eyes.  For  the  latter 
operation  they  are  paid  four  cents  a  dozen,  making  from  s:1,..")!)  to  s7  a 
week,  piece-work.  The  making  of  trimming  and  girdles  require  more 
skill  and  the  worker  is  paid  from  $5  to  $!),  piece-work,  according  to  her 
weekly  output.  The  finisher  gets  from  s5  to  $8  piece-work. 

The  girls  who  assemble  the  various  parts  of  the  garments, — the  lin- 
ing, the  special  work,  such  as  cording  or  fluting,  or  hemstitching, — 


444  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

for  the  machine  operators  and  tied  them  into  bundles-  are  called  "lay- 
out" girls  and  they  are  paid  a  weekly  wage  of  $G. 

IIEALTHFULNESS  OF  THE   WORK. 

No  criticism  can  be  made  on  the  conditions  under  which  the  girls 
\vork.  The  rooms  are  light  and  ventilated.  During  the  heat  of  last 
summer  numerous  electric  fans  helped  to  make  the  workers  more  com- 
fortable. Complaints  of  the  injurious  nature  of  the  work  were  based 
on  the  actual  operation  rather  than  on  the  surroundings,  and  these  are 
conditions  of  the  work  itself.  Fifteen  of  the  complaints  were  of  eye 
and  nerve  strain  caused  by  operating  the  power  machines  and  keeping 
the  eyes  fixed  upon  the  path  of  the  fast  moving  needle.  One  girl  said 
sitting  still  so  long  made  her  nervous;  another  complained  of  stomach 
trouble  from  sitting;  one  girl  said  her  eye  strain  was  not  due  to  the  ma- 
chine but  to  working  on  black  waists;  one  beginner  was  nervous  for 
fear  her  skirt  would  be  Caught  in  the  belt  operating  her  machine.  All 
these  complaints  are  common  to  machine  work. 

THE    WORKERS. 

Fifty-seven  out  of  the  84  women  interviewed  have  been  engaged  in 
no  other  occupation.  Of  the  remaining  27,  ten  gave  dressmaking  as 
the  other  occupation  engaged  in  before  coming  to  the  silk  garment 
factory.  If  dressmaking  is  not  closely  allied  to  the  operating  of  a 
power  machine,  it  is  at  least  sufficiently  similar  to  make  a  garment 
factory  a  natural  succession  to  sewing  for  one's  next  door  neighbor. 

Eighty  out  of  84  girls  said  they  were  American-born,  and  over  half 
of  these  gave  their  parentage  as  German,  which  may  account  for  the 
fact  that  they  are  not  wanderers  in  the  industrial  market. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 
Table  No.  65.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  SILK  GARMENT  TABULATIONS. 


445 


Character  of  information. 


Number. 


Per  cent. 


Localities  visited 1 

Establishments  investigated 3 

Employes  interrogated 84 

American  born 80              95.2 

Foreign-born 4                4.8 

Living  at  home 75              89.3 

Adrift 9              10.7 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week 34              40.5 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week 48              59.3 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over 

Working  under  1  year 13              15.5 

Working  under  3  years 29              34.5 

Working  3  years  and  over 55              65.5 

Have  followed  other  occupations 27 

Under  16  years  of  age • 

Under  20  years  of  age 37              44.0 

Under  25  years  of  age 68              81.0 

25  years  of  age  and  over 16              19 . 0 

Single : 83 

Married 1                1-2 

Widowed ' 

Separated  or  divorced 


THE   PETTICOAT   INDUSTRY  OF  MICHIGAN. 

/ 

The  genesis  of  the  petticoat  industry  is  an  interesting  one.  As  a 
commercial  enterprise  it  started  in  1895  in  Kalamazoo.  A  woman 
canvasser,  taking  orders  for  a  dressmaker,  sold  a  garment  of  this 
kind  to  the  wife  of  the  blacksmith  of  a  Kalamazoo  buggy  company.  To 
the  husband,  the  price  seemed  exorbitant.  He  told  his  wife  that  a 
petticoat  of  much  better  material  could  be  made  for  50  per  cent  less. 
Realizing  that  if  he  were  able  to  prove  his  contention  there  would  be 
a  promising  business  opportunity  awaiting  him,  he  decided  to  test  his 
judgment.  He  rented  two  rooms  in  a  down-town  business  block  and 
purchased  on  contract  two  ordinary  foot-power  machines  and  a  bolt  of 
heavy  weight  black  sateen.  He  engaged  two  women  experienced  in 
dressmaking.  The  women  were  to  pay  back  out  of  their  weekly  wages 
a  certain  sum  until  the  machines  were  paid  for.  The  petticoats  were 
introduced  to  the  trade  through  canvassers. 


446  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

IT    CATCHES   ON. 

Within  three  months'  time  the  business  had  grown  to  such  propor- 
tions that  it  was  found  necessary  to  seek  larger  quarters  and  to  install 
more  machines.  In  six  months,  they  were  forced  to  move  to  yet  larger 
quarters.  Each  operator  was  still  being  required  to  pay  for  her  own 
machine.  Merchants  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  found  a  great 
demand  for  these  garments  and  mail  orders  began  pouring  in.  it  is 
stated  that  at  this  period  the  overhead  expenses  of  the  plant  were  so 
small  that  the  profits  for  the  first  two  years  were  at  least  100  per 
cent.  Inside  of  three  years  the  volume  of  business  had  so  increased 
that  65  machines  were  in  use.  About  that  time  it  became  possible 
to  buy  machines  especially  adapted  to  this  kind  of  work;  machines  for 
tapeing,  flouncing  and  ruffling — all  of  which  had  previously  been 
hand  work.  The  installation  of  this  labor  saving  machinery  improved 
the  garment  as  well  as  materially  increased  the  output. 

In  the  beginning  they  could  cut  but  a  few  dozen  garments  at  one  time 
as  they  were  cut  with  tailor's  shears;  then  the  sharp  knife  was  used; 
then  came  the  electric  cutter  such  as  is  found  in  all  up-to-date  cloth- 
ing manufacturing  establishments  to-day. 

When  they  had  from  20  to  30  machines  operated  by  foot-power, 
they  turned  out  from  50  to  75  dozen  petticoats  per  day.  Girls,  who  at 
that  time,  made  two  dozen  petticoats  per  day — -( these  garments  were 
plain  with  one  ruffle — each  girl  finishing  her  own  garment)  received 
eight  cents  apiece,  making  on  an  average  of  $1.92  per  day. 

In  1897-98-99,  the  mail  orders  received  from  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  often  amounted  to  from  $2,000  to  $3,000  daily.  These  orders 
came  from  all  sections  of  the  country — from  Portland,  Me.,  to  San 
Francisco,  Calif.,  and  from  Detroit,  Mich.,  to  New  Orleans,  La.  The 
firm  had  salesmen  and  women  canvassers  on  the  road  at  that  time 
taking  orders,  and  there  was  no  competing  firm.  The  firm  purchased 
the  raw  material  direct  from  the  East  and  shipped  the  finished  gar- 
ment back  to  Boston,  where  the  cotton  had  been  purchased. 

At  that  time,  changes  in  the  styles  were  unknown,  and  this  con- 
dition continued  for  five  or  six  years.  Of  course  there  might  be  a  slight 
variation  in  the  number  of  ruffles  on  the  skirt  from  year  to  year.  One 
being  added  this  year — one  taken  off  the  next  year.  However,  there 
was  but  one  grade  of  material  used  and  but  one  color, — viz.,  black. 
It  was  not  a  matter  of  choice — they — the  buyers — took  black  or  noth- 
ing. 

COMPETITION  BEGINS. 

About  the  fourth  year  petticoat  factories  began  to  spring  up  all  over 
the  country.  Competing  manufacturers  cut  prices  in  order  to  got  ilic 
business.  With  competition  came  the  changes  in  the  styles  of  gar- 
ments and  in  the  grades  of  material,  variety  of  colors  and  tones.  In 
this  way  did  the  new  manufacturer  appeal  to  the  trade;  About  the  time 
their  salespeople  began  clamoring  for  different  styles,  different  colors 
and  different  shades,  and  different  materials — the  pioneer  Michigan 
manufacturer  decided  it  was  about  time  to  go  out.  of  tlu>  business. 

At  the  outset  of  the  industry  there  was  no  dull  season; — to-day  there 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  447 

are  bu (  few  manufacturers  who  have  survived  the  sudden  and  extreme 
changes  demanded  in  the  style  of  petticoats.  Now  it  is  necessary  to  carry 
in  slock  many  different  grades  and  colors  of  materials.  AVith  these 
changes  the  industry  has  become  a  seasonal  one.  The  petticoat  man- 
ufacturer to-day  is  busiest  from  October  to  February.  The  bulk  of 
the  raw  materials  are  still  purchased  from  the  Eastern  States. 

BUSINESS    CUT    TO    PIECES. 

Women  to-day  demand  a  cheaper  skirt  costing  about  $15  a  dozen 
to  the  manufacturer  and  sold  to  the  trade  at  fl.95  each.  They  prefer 
to  buy  two  a  month  to  paying  |5  to  |8  for  a  good  susbtantial  garment. 
This  militates  against  the  success  of  the  legitimate  manufacturer.  This 
latter  class  of  garments  is  produced  in  eastern  "sweat  shops"  and  sold 
through  jobbers  who  have  not  a  machine  in  the  shop,  nor  an  agent  on  the 
road,  but  who  depend  entirely  on  mail  orders.  Often  these  garments 
are  produced  in  poorly  ventilated  basements,  or  fire-trap  lofts  and  tene- 
ments. 

This  season,  petticoats  were  made  from  24  different  colors  in  silk ; 
from  five  to  eight  different  colors  in  the  cotton  materials,  not  count- 
ing the  different  tones  demanded  in  each  color.  Some  of  the  grades 
of  cotton  materials  used  to  come  in  10  colors.  Customers  to-day  want 
the  colors  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  silk  skirts  duplicated  in  the 
cotton  materials. 

BUSINESS    NOW    AWAITING    A    CHANGE    OF    FASHIONS. 

To-day  the  manufacturer  of  petticoats  has  his  shop  equipped  with 
the  latest  improved  machinery.  In  most  of  the  establishments  each 
part  of  the  garment  is  done  by  a  different  operator,  averaging  from 
six  to  13  or  more  operations,  the  number  varying  somewhat  with  the 
style  of  the  garment  produced  or  the  individual  manufacturer's 
method  of  production.  The  cutter  and  designer  is  always  a  man.  Each 
operator  of  experience  usually  turns  out  parts  of  from  10  to  20  dozen 
petticoats  per  day. 

At  this,  writing,  few  petticoat  manufacturers  are  able  to  continue 
in  business.  The  extremely  narrow  outer  skirt  has  made  it  impossible 
or  impracticable  for  women  who  follow  the  changes  in  style — to  wear 
petticoats,  and  the  manufacturers  are  awaiting  the  return  of  the  fuller 
outside  garment.  A  number  of  the  manufacturers  have  been  making 
as  a  side  line  tights  and  bloomers.  This  has  been  necessary  in  order 
to  keep  (heir  machinery  running.  Even  then  it  has  been  possible  to 
run  but  part  of  each  day.  Some  plants  have  closed  down  entirely  un- 
til styles  again  return  to  normal  traditions. 


448  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

Table  No.  ff^.— SUMMARY  OF  PETTICOAT  INDUSTRY  TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 


Number. 


Per  cent. 


Localities  visited 3    

Establishments  investigated 3    

Employes  interrogated 37    

American-born 36  97 . 3 

Foreign-born 1  2.7 

Living  at  home 27  73 . 0 

Adrift 10  27.0 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week 11  30.6 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over 25  69.4 

Working  under  1  year 9  24.3 

Working  under  3  years : 26  70.3 

Working  3  years  and  over 11  29.7 

Have  followed  other  occupations 27  73 . 0 

Under  16  years  of  age 

Under  20  years  of  age 3  8.1 

Under  25  years  of  age '. 13  36. 1 

25  years  of  age  and  over     23  63 . 9 

Single 21  56.8 

Married 7  18. 

Widowed 6  16.2 

Separated  or  divorced 3  8.1 


WOMAN'S  UNDEKWEAK  AND  INFANT'S  WEAR. 

The  character  of  the  manufacture  of  woman's  underwear  and  in- 
fant's wear  as  gleaned  from  a  report  of  the  National  Cotton  Gar- 
ment Manufacturers'  Association,  is  confined  to  the  manufacturing  of 
woman's  cotton  underwear  and  infant's  garments  made  of  cotton 
cloth,  embellished  with  machine  embroidery,  machine  laces,  hand 
made  embroidery,  hand  made  laces,  or  embellished  with  fancy  stitches, 
produced  by  machine  and  by  hand,  and  furthermore  embellished  and 
completed  with  buttons  and  ribbons. 

It  has  been  estimated  that  there  are  about  four  hundred  factories 
of  woman's  underwear  and  infant's  wear  in  this  country,  a  few  of 
which  are  in  Michigan. 

The  profits  of  the  business  are  small,  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  per- 
son can  engage  in  the  business  on  comparatively  small  capital  and  on 
account  of  the  competition  of  contract  shops  in  the  East,  employing 
underpaid,  non-English-speaking  labor,  of  which  there  seems  to  be  a 
continuous  supply. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  449 

From  statistics  gathered  i<  is  shown  that  the  entire  industry  docs 
between  thirty  and  forty  millions  of  business  every  year.  It  is  further 
est  minted  that  about  fifteen  millions  of  dollars  has  been  actually  in- 
vested. By  reason  of  the  keen  competition  that  exists  no  one  has 
ever  become1  wealthy  through  the  production  of  this  work.  But  one 
manufacturer  has  ever  grown  rich  enough  to  retire,  and  he  is  only 
moderately  wealthy. 

CAPITAL    AND    WAGES. 

So  far  as  concerns  the  number  of  laborers  employed  in  the  United 
States  in  this  industry,  investigations  show  that  there  are  about  20,000 
wage^eamers  engaged  in  the  direct  trade,  and  1)5  per  cent  of  this  labor 
is  furnished  by  women.  This  is  readily  understood  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  the  main  work  is  performed  by  seamstresses. 

The  counsel  of  the  National  Cotton  Garment  Manufacturers'  Asso- 
ciation requested  the  various  members  to  send  to  him  information  re- 
garding the  various  items  that  enter  into  the  cost  of  production  and 
expense  account  of  their  business.  The  following  conclusions  were 
reached: 

The  average  factory  engages  hands  during  292  days  of  the  year.  The 
average  number  <<('  superintendents  and  managers  that  work  in  a  factory 
amount  to  two;  average  number  of  clerks,  four;  stenographers,  two; 
salesmen,  six;  other  salaried  employes,  10,  making  average  number  of 
-4.  The  average  number  of  wage-earners  in  a  factory  is  205,  of  which 
104  are  women,  and  11  are  men.  The  average  salary  paid  to  the  wage- 
earners  is  $9  per  week;  the  average  net  profit  made  upon  the  volume 
of  business  done  is  iy±  per  cent;  the  highest  profit  shown  by  any  given 
factory  is  12  per  cent. 

MATERIAL. 

With  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  material  that  goes  to  make  up 
the  finished  product  known  as  lingerie,  or  embellished  infant's  Avear, 
it  consists  of  cloth,  trimmings,  buttons,  boxes,  thread  and  ribbons. 
It  is  to  be  remembered  that  85  per  cent  of  the  laces  and  embroideries 
used  by  the  trade  for  the  embellishment  of  the  product  is  purchased  from 
manufacturers  abroad,  and  that  but  a  small  percentage  of  the  product 
is  embellished  by  hand  embroidery  or  by  embroidery  made  by  machine 
in  imitation  of  hand  .embroidery.  Furthermore  the  cost  of  the  domestic 
material  entering  into  the  cost  of  production  is  substantially  equal  to 
the  cost  of  foreign  material,  with  import  duty,  landing  charges,  etc., 
added.  About  93  per  cent  of  the  cost  of  making  is  direct  operating  labor. 

EXPENSE   OCCASIONED   BY    CHANGE    OF   STYLES. 

Tn  the  lingerie  business  there  is  a  constant  shifting  of  styles  de- 
manded by  the  women.  This  statement  refers  particularly  to  lin- 
gerie embellished  with  laces  and  embroideries.  There  is  always  a 
serious  loss  incurred  whenever  the  styles  shift,  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  there  remain*  on  hand  large  quantities  of  goods  of  the  old  style 
which  cannot  be  disposed  of  except  at  a  reduced  price.  There  is  a 
decided  tendency  to  compel  labor  to  perform -its  function  solely  in 
57 


450 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 


factories.  Labor  abuses,  so  far  as  concerns  the  seamstress  are  due  to 
contractors  employing  emigrants  who  have  not  learned  English,  and 
labor  working  at  home.  This)  last  condition  is  being  suppressed. 

Table  No.  65.— SUMMARY  OF  THE  MUSLIN  UNDERWEAR  AND  WAIST  INDUSTRY 

TABULATIONS. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

Localities  visited  ,  

2 

Establishments  investigated  

3 

Employes  interrogated 

142 

American-born  

131 

92  3 

Foreign-born  .   . 

11 

7  7 

Living  at  home  

102 

71  8 

Adrift  

40 

28  2 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week  

26 

18  3 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week  
Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over  
Working  under  1  year 

66 
76 
31 

46.5 
53.5 
21  S 

Working  under  3  years 

66 

46  5 

Working  3  years  and  over  .... 

76 

53  5 

Have  followed  other  occupations  
Under  16  years  of  age  

93 
4 

65.5 

*       2.8 

Under  20  years  of  age 

35 

21  6 

Under  25  years  of  age 

77 

54  2 

25  years  of  age  and  over 

65 

45  8 

Single  .            

118 

83.1 

Married  

10 

7.0 

Widowed 

14 

9  9 

Separated  or  divorced  .  .  . 

APPENDIX   X. 


IMH  STK'IAL    ENVIRONMENTS    AND    WAGES    IN    THE    UPPER 
PART  OF  THE  LOWER  PENINSULA. 

The  upper  part  of  the  mitten-shaped  lower  peninsula  of  Michigan 
was  once  timber  land.  Most  of  this  timber  has  been  cut,  leaving  only 
stumps,  second  growth  and  underbrush.  Because  of  the  expense  of  re- 
moving these  stumps,  this  land  is  for  the  most  part  unused.  No  large 
cities  have  grown  up  on  the  part  of  the  "mitten"  encasing  the  "fin- 
gers," but  situated  at  the  middle  joint  of  the  first  finger,  the  tip  of  the 
middle  finger,  and  at  each  of  the  joints  of  the  little  finger  are  five  fair 
sized  towns,  having  populations  of  from  six  thousand  to  twelve  thous- 
and. 

These  were  all  lumber  towns  once,  and  are  now  attempting  to  eke 
out  an  existence  taking  summer  boarders;  for  residents  from  large 
cities  further  south  have  discovered  how  invigorating  are  the  lake 
breezes.  They  and  the  transportation  companies  have  passed  the  word 
along  until  now  in  July  and  August  the  hotels  and  boarding  houses 
swarm  with  tourists  and  vacationists.  Summer  has  become  the  busy 
season.  Aside  from  what  little  lumbering  remains,  and  the  tourist 
trade,  there  are  no  industries  of  any  considerable  importance.  With 
only  one  exception,  nothing  has  been  done  to  take  the  place  of  the  wealth 
cut  from  the  timber  lands.  The  lumbermen  have  absorbed  most  of 
the  natural  wealth  and  carried  the  spoils  away  and  spent  them  else- 
where. Some  logs  still  come  down  the  rivers  to  be  sawed  in  the  few 
mills  yet  running,  but  it  is  nearly  the  last  of  the  marketable  timber. 
One  of  these  towns  has  dropped  behind  in  population  2,000  in  ten 
years;  three  show  a  slight  increase  of  a  few  hundred.  One  alone — 
replacing  the  pine  forests  with  fruit  trees — has  a  marked  gain  in  popu- 
lation of  3,000  in  the  past  ten  years. 

FACTORIES  ARE   FEW. 

Where  work  for  men  falls  off  and  they  gradually  migrate,  no  factories 
come  which  depend  on  women  employes  as  the  women  follow  the  men 
to  new  fields.  There  are  scattered  through  this  region  a  few  industries 
depending  on  lumber,  such  as  paper  mills,  woodenware,  chairs  and 
game  factories,  but  as  these  were  not  included  in  the  industries  selected 
for  this  investigation,  no  statistics  were  obtained. 

The  chief  industry  where  women  find  work  is  the  so-called  k'bean- 
eries,"  where  dried  vegetables,  such  as  beans  and  peas,  are  picked  over; 
but  as  these  beaneries  are  in  operation  only  during  the  winter  months 
and  as  the  investigation  took  place  in  those. towns  in  July  and  Aligns!, 
they  had  to  be  passed  by.  Next  to  the  beaneries  come  the  canneries; 


452  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

which  are  treated  of  in  another  portion  of  this  report.  So  only  two  fac- 
tories were  investigated  from  this  part — a  candy  factory  and' a  woolen 
mill. 

But  Avhile  there  is  no  extensive  manufacturing,  every  town  has  its 
stores,  its  laundries,  and  its  telephone  exchanges.  How  these  towns 
use  and  pay  the  women  required  to  keep  these  necessities  in  operation 
was  the  chief  object  of  the  investigation  in  these  five  towns. 

WAGES   IN    STORES. 

Most'  of  the  stores',  18  in  number,  were  visited,  and  from  them  93 
saleswomen  and  seven  of  the  office  assistants  were  interrogated.  Their 
wages  run  from  |3  to  $16,  the  average  wage  being  $5.76.  The  average 
age  of  the  employes  is  22  Tears/ which  shows  that  in  the  smaller 
town  the  girls  go  to  work  at  a  later  age  than  in  large  cities.  All  the 
stores  remain  open  Saturday  nights  and  in  some  towns  Wednesday 
nights  also,  and  the  girls  work  the  full  54  hours  the  law  allows.  Some 
stores  have  lunch  rooms  where  the  employes  may  eat  their  lunches,  but 
most  of  the  girls  go  home  at  noon  for  distances  are  not  great.  Most 
of  the  stores  have  only  one  toilet  for  employes  and  customers,  some- 
thing the  girls  object  to,  and  which  is  remedied  in  a  few  places  by  hav- 
ing two,  to  one  of  which  the  girls  have  a  key.  The  work  is  easier  than 
in  the  city,  for  while  the  saleswoman  is  usually  very  busy,  her  custom- 
ers are  her  next  door  neighbors,  and  are  more  considerate,  often  reliev- 
ing the  monotony  of  the  day  by  a  bit  of  gossip  or  friendliness  between 
purchases. 

CONDITIONS   IN   TELEPHONE   EXCHANGES. 

Two  of  the  five  towns  have  rival  telephone  companies,  and  this 
brings  down  the  rate  for  the  user,  and  also  the  wages  for  the  opera- 
tors. Thirty-eight  employes  from  seven  exchanges  were  interrogated. 
Their  wages  ranged  from  $15  a  month  to  $36,  the  average  wage  being 
$5.26  a  week.  The  average  age  is  21  years.  The  girls  work  in  shifts  of 
from  three  to  six,  according  to  the  size  of  the  town ;  and  a  day's  work 
is  from  eight  to  nine  hours,  with  15  minutes'  relief  in  each  shift. 

The  discipline  is  less  strict  there,  and  the  girls  get  an  afternoon  off 
Avhen  they  can  arrange  with  another  to  act  as  substitute,  and  pay  her 
from  their  own  salary.  This  is  arranged  with  the  consent  of  the  super- 
visor, who  herself  often  relieves  the  girls  when  the  force  is  shortened 
by  illness,  etc.  The  girls  have  a  vacation  of  from  one  to  two  weeks  de- 
pending on  their  length  of  service  in  five  of  the  seven  exchanges. 

The  night  shift  consists  of  only  one  girl,  but  in  one  exchange  there  are 
two.  The  night  operator  works  from  9:30  P.  M.  to  6:30  A.  M.,  with  no 
relief.  In  one  exchange  the  night  girl  works  from  9  P.  M.  to  7  A.  .M., 
seven  nights  in  the  week,  with  no  relief.  She  complained  that  her 
work  was  very  heavy  during  the  Summer  llesort  season  and  that  she 
had  all  she  could  do  to  handle  the  long  distance  and  the  local  calls 
alone.  All  but  one  exchange  had  a  rest  room  and  one  in  addition  to 
the  rest  room  had  a  gas  plate  and  dishes  where  a  girl  could  prepare  n 
lunch  and  make  tea  or  rolt'ee.  With  the  exception  of  the  night  work,  the 
work  is  less  steady  and  exacting  than  in  the  exchange  of  a  large  city. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  4r>3 

Only  11  out  of  the  :>S  interviewed  complained  of  (lie  nervous  strain  that 
is   usually  attendant  upon  telephone  work. 

LAUNDRIES,  CANDY  FACTORY  AND   WOOLEN   MILLS. 

Forty  laundry  workers  from  seven  establishments  were  interrogated. 
Their  average  age  was  !':»  years,  and  they  wei'e  paid  from  f:>  to  1(1.50,  an 
average  of  -f4.r>(;.  This  work  in  the  small  (own  is  ap(  to  be  less  agreeable 
than  in  the  city.  The  machinery  is  not  as  up-to-date,  the  ventilation 
not  pel-reeled,  the  old-fashioned  iron,  heated  on  gas  plates,  is  used.  One 
laundry  used  a  coal  stove.  The  sanitary  conditions  are  sadly  neglected, 
the  toilets  as  a  rule  are  not  clean,  and  in  one  laundry  there  was  only 
an  outhouse  for  the  use  of  both  men  and  women. 

The  candy  factory  was  new  and  clean  and  the  18  employes  had  all 
the  comforts  of  the  average  modern  candy  manufacturing  plant.  The 
rooms  were  light  and  airy,  sanitary  conditions  good,  and  ice  water  was 
provided  for  the  girls,  who  make  from  $3.50  to  $7.50  a  week,  an  average 
of  s.~). r)i>.  They  were  either  very  young  or  middle  aged,  and  the  average 
age  was  23  years. 

The  woolen  mill  was  situated  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  They 
weave  woolen  cloth,  and  make  it  into  trousers  and  shirts  for  lumber 
cutlers.  The  mill  is  operated  only  during  the  summer  months,  and  is 
an  unheated  barn  of  a  building.  The  only  toilet  accommodation  is  an 
outhouse  several  paces  from  the  mill,  and  partly  submerged  in  water 
if  the  rains  are  heavy.  The  drinking  water  is  kept  in  a  pail  with  a 
tin  dipper  at  its  side.  The  employes  make  from  $4  to  $6.50  per  week, 
an  average  of  $5. GO.  The  average  age  is  23  years. 

FEW  ARE  AFLOAT. 

The  104  workers  interrogated  were  all  American-born  except  10,  and 
of  these  six  gave  Canada  as  their  birthplace.  Less  than  half,  how- 
ever, only  74,  were  of  American  parentage.  In  the  towns  upon  Lake 
Huron,  the  majority,  33  in  number,  were  of  French-Canadian  parentage. 
In  the  towns  on  Lake  Michigan,  those  farthest  south,  22  of  the  work- 
ers reported  Sweden,  Norway  and  Denmark  and  eight  Bohemia  as  the 
countries  of  their  parents'  birth.  Scattered  throughout -the  five  cities 
were -live  reporting  English  and  Scotch,  12  Polish,  five  Austrian  and 
Hungarian,  and  one  of  Swiss  parentage. 

The  great  majority  of  the  194  women  employes  live  at  home.  In  four 
of  i lie  towns  there  were  a  few,  less  than  a  fifth,  numbering  from  live 
to  eight  in  a  town,  who  were  living  with  relatives.  In  the  one  city 
showing  a  marked  increase  in  population,  18,  more  than  a  third,  were 
hoarding,  11  with  relatives  and  seven  with  strangers.  This  is  the 
town  showing  the  highest  wages. 

MANY   ARE    NOT   SELF-SUPPORTING. 

Fifty-seven  of  these  1!)4  reported  that  they  did  not  support  them- 
selves, but  depended  on  relatives  to  help  out  Iheir  earnings.  Thirty 
helped  to  support  others.  Many  snid  that  what  ihey  earned  barely  paid 
for  their  clothing,  but  that  Ihey  helped  a  little  toward  their  board  by 


454  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

buying  about  a  dollar's  worth  of  groceries  a  week  for  the  house,  or 
else  aided  to  dress  a  younger  sister. 

In  all  the  cities  but  one  the  store  employes  received  vacations  with 
pay,  and  in  all  but  one  telephone  exchange  the  operators  were  given  a 
vacation  without  reduction  from  the  month's  wages.  In  all  seventv- 
six  reported  vacation  with  pay,  and  forty-three  vacation  without  pav. 
While  a  majority  (46)  spent  their  vacations  at  home,  (17)  visiting,  "a 
large  proportion  (27  out  of  115)  took  trips.  Those  living  on  the  shores 
of  Lake  Huron  go  to  Detroit,  while  the  residents  of  the  western  shore 
of  Michigan  go  to  Chicago  or  Milwaukee. 

FEW    MARRIED    WOMEN    EMPLOYED. 

Very  few  married  women  work  in  these  towns.  There  .are  eight  who 
have  husbands,  five  who  are  widowed  and  two  divorced.  One  hundred 
and  seventy-nine  were  single  women.  Of  the  eight  married  women, 
six  were  working  and  sharing  the  expenses  of  the  household  with  their 
husbands,  two  were  contributing  nothing  to  their  living  expenses, 
working  only  for  money  for  clothing  and  extras.  One  woman's  hus- 
band was  out  of  work,  and  she  was  tiding  over  the  time  until  he 
would  again  have  employment,  and  one  was  the  entire  support  of  an 
invalid  husband.  As  a  rule  when  a  girl  marries  in  the  small  town  she 
does  not  go  on  working.  She  has  not  attained  to  that  status  where 
she  desires  to  be  independent.  Life  is  to  her  a  more  leisurely  matter. 
The  "progressives"  are  anxious  to  go  elsewhere  and  try  their  industrial 
wings  in  a  large  world. 

In  all  these  five  towns  only  one  has  an  amusement  park,  yet  all  have 
lake  fronts  and  room  and  natural  facilities  for  recreation  of  this  kind. 
There  are  no  town  amusements  to  be  found  in.  this  portion  of  the 
State,  other  than  the  contribution  of  the  moving  picture  man.  Nothing 
is  done  to  make  it  worth  while  or  interesting  for  the  young  woman 
to  stay  in  her  native  town.  Is  it  strange  that  they  listen  to  the  sounds 
of  the  hustle  and  rush  of  things  to  the  south  of  them? 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


465 


Tall,'  No.  66.— SUMMARY  OF  ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS  IN  THE  UPPER  PART  OF  THE 

LOWER  PENINSULA. 


Character  of  information. 

Number. 

Per  cent. 

5 

34 

194 

183 

94.3 

11 

5.7 

152 

78.4 

Adrift                                                                               

42 

21.6 

Receiving  less  than  $6  per  week                 .                                        

'121 

62.4 

Receiving  less  than  $8  per  week             .                                                        

161 

84.3 

Receiving  $8  per  week  and  over                        .                                                      

30 

15.7 

Working  under  1  year  

51 

20.  3 

Working  under  3  years  

98 

50.5 

96 

49  5 

79 

40  7 

3 

1  5 

Under  20  years  of  age  
Under  25  years  of  age                            .                   

59 
137 

30.4 
70.6 

25  years  of  age  and  over                     .•          .                               

57 

29.4 

Single                                                      .        .                                                       

179 

92.3 

8 

4.1 

Widowed 

5 

2.6 

2 

1.0 

APPENDIX  Y. 


WAGE    AND    WORKING    CONDITIONS    OF    WOMEN    IN    THE 

UPPER  PENINSULA. 

The  Upper  Peninsula  of  Michigan,  with  its  large  mining  and  lumber 
interests  and  lack  of  manufacturing  plants,  offers  few  opportunities  for 
the  employment  of  women.  In  some  respects  the  conditions  of  the 
wage-earning  women  there,  are  still  those  of  earlier  times  in  the  Lower 
Peninsula. 

The  towns  being  smaller  and  the  chances  for  change  of  employment 
few,  the  employer  is  in  many  cases  the  friend  and  neighbor  of  the 
family  of  the  employe.  There  is  little  of  the  "shifting"  "so  common 
in  the  large  manufacturing  cities.  Consequently  it  must  not- be  at- 
tributed to  the  employers'  lack  of  interest,  that  there  is  not  one  social 
secretary  in  the  upper  part  of  the  State.  Her  work  has  not  yet  become 
a  necessity. 

MOSTLY    LIVE    AT   HOME. 

The  girls  mostly  live  at  home,  and  even  the  small  number  of  "adrift" 
reported  are  in  no  sense  a  fair  proportion,  for,  finding  that  the  girls 
living  at  home  had  little  idea  of  the  cost  of  living  the  investigator  inter- 
viewed all  the  "adrift"  in  the  establishments  investigated. 

The  extremely  low  wages  now  shown  would  also  be  somewhat  raised, 
had  the  higher-priced  girls  not  been  away  on  vacations.  Still,  as  these1 
vacations  were  in  many  instances  compulsory,  especially  in  case  of  mil- 
linery saleswomen,  and  without  pay,  it  is  possible  that  the  "yearly 
average"  might  not  be  materially  affected. 

Many  of  the  stores  gave  a  vacation  with  pay,  a  few  paid  a  small 
"bonus,"  and  a  few  docked  employes  for  the  time  lost  on  account  of 
sickness.  There  was  little  time  lost  for  sickness,  however,  due  probably 
to  the  fact  that  they  were  almost  all  living  at  home  anc|  were  not  over- 
worked. 

In  the  stores  a  girl's  sales  depended  more  upon  the  size  of  her  circle 
of  friends,  than  upon  her  salesmanship.  In  fact,  many  were  hired  be- 
cause they  had  many  relatives,  and  would  attract  custom  in  that  way. 
In  the  copper  mining  district  there  are  in  the  neighborhood  of  30  dif- 
ferent nationalities  represented,  many  drifting  into  other  places  and 
employments  as  they  become  Americanized,  and  a  constant  stream  of 
non-English  speaking  workers  taking' their  places.  This,  makes  it  neces- 
sary for  the  merchant  to  keep  saleswomen  enough  to  be  able  to  talk 
to  these  different  nationalities.  In  many  cases,  perhaps  in  all,  the 
merchant  is  obliged  to  have  a  much  larger  force  than  would  be  required 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  457 

to  sell  the  same  amount  of  goods,  were  the  customers  all  able  to  speak 
English.  This  makes  the  work  much  easier  for  the  saleswoman,  but 
also  keeps  the  wages  low. 

VACATION    WITH    PAY. 

In  some  of  the  towns  the  stores  keep  open  two  or  three  nights  a 
week  until  9  or  10  o'clock,  but  girls  are  supposed  to  have  time  off  dur- 
ing the  week  to  keep  within  the  54-hour  limit.  None  of  the  girls  in 
stores  reported  working  overtime  now,  though  many  said  they  used  to 
do  so.  In  most  of  the  stores  girls  could  get  time  off  occasionally  dur- 
ing the  day,  even  to  do  shopping  in  other  stores,  they  told  the  investi- 
gator, without  losing  pay.  There  was  one  successful  co-operative  store 
that  has  been  in  operation  for  twenty-three  years. 

Some  of  the  firms  allow  the  saleswomen  to  be  absent  12  working  days 
during  the  year,  at  any  time  and  for  any  reason,  a  day  now  and  then, 
or  two  weeks  at  one  time,  with  pay  for  time.  The  girls  were  very 
enthusiastic  about  this,  and  preferred  it  to  a  two  weeks'  vacation  with 
pay,  to  be  taken  at  some  stated  time.  Very  few  girls  lose  time  under 
this  arrangement. 

LAUNDRIES    UP-TO-DATE. 

Laundries,  aside  from  Chinese  laundries  employing  no  women,  were 
few,  and  the  larger  ones  depended  upon  the  lake  steamers  for  trade. 
Instances  of  overtime  were  discovered  in  these,  as  the  girls  reported 
wages  by  the  hour,  and  the  last  week's  earnings  showed  overtime  in 
some  cases.  One  or  two  admitted  working  overtime,  but  many  were 
afraid.  To  lose  a  place  would  mean,  not  a  change  of  places,  but  no  work 
in  the  majority  of  cases.  The  laundries  were  up-to-date,  well  ventilated, 
and  two  had  rest  rooms,  with  cupboards  and  tables  that  the  girls 
might  use  them  as  lunch  rooms  as  well. 

TELEPHONE   EXCHANGES. 

One  telephone  exchange  was  exceptionally  well  equipped  with  rest 
and  lunch  room,  but  the  average  exchange  was  not  up  to  the  standard 
maintained  in  the  lower  part  of  the  State.  However  new  buildings  are 
expected  in  the  near  future  to  replace  the  poorer  ones. 

It  has  been  stated  that  in  some  respects  conditions  in  the  Upper 
Peninsula  were  not  quite  modern.  It  is  illustrated,  perhaps,  by  the 
fact  that  out  of  some  150  women  interviewed,  20  per  cent  did  not 
want  to  give  their  ages. 

WAGES  LOW. 

Wages  are  low,  but  writh  the  low  rents  and  lack  of  opportunities  of 
spending  for  amusements,  many  of  the  girls  are  able  to  take  vaca- 
tion trips,  and  a  fair  number  are  able  to  make  savings,  or  invest  in 
different  ways,  principally  in  building  and  loan  associations.  There 
is  a  lack  of  the  harassed,  wornout  look  in  the  saleswomen  that  is  so 
often  conspicuous  in  the  big  cities  in  the  lower  part  of  the  State,  where 
the  higher  wage  seems  to  yield  less  of  comfort  and  pleasure. 


458 


REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


Employer  and  employe  showed  a  most  modern  and  up-to-date  interest 
in  the  minimum  wage  question. 

Table  No.  67.— NUMBER  INTERROGATED  IN  THE  UPPER  PENINSULA,  NUMBER  LIVING 
AT  HOME  AND  ADRIFT,  BY  OCCUPATION. 


Occupation. 

Living  at 
home. 

Paying 
board  at 
home. 

Adrift. 

Assisting 
others. 

Helped 
by  others. 

Candy  

2 

1 

2 

1 

Laundries  

19 

16 

7 

2 

Stores  

73 

58 

14 

5 

3 

Telephone  exchange  

20 

14 

4 

2 

Other  occupations  (shoes  and  woolen  goods)  

9 

4 

4 

o 

Table  No.  68.— AVERAGE  WEEKLY  WAGES  AND  EXPENDITURES  OF  UPPER  PENINSULA 
WAGE-EARNING  WOMEN  INTERROGATED. 


Wages. 

] 

Expenditure' 

. 

Occupation. 

Reporting 
weekly 
earnings. 

Total 
weekly 
earnings. 

Average 
weekly 
earnings. 

Board. 

Clothes. 

Other 

expenses. 

Candy  

4 

$20  50 

$5  12 

$3  00 

|0  90 

Laundries  
Stores  

26 

87 

173  49 
658  53 

6  67 
7  59 

2  75 
3  67 

1  11 
2  55 

27 
36 

Telephone  exchange 

24 

136  30 

5  68 

3  36 

1  05 

30 

Other  occupations  (shoes  and  woolen  goods)  .  

13 

91  50 

7  04 

2  63 

1  58 

17 

Table  No.  69.— WEEKLY  WAGES  OF  THOSE  INTERROGATED  IN  THE  UPPER  PENINSULA 


Occupation. 

Under 
$5. 

$5  and 
under 
$6. 

$6  and 
under 

$7. 

$7  and 
under 
$8. 

$8  and 
under 
$9. 

$9  and 
under 
$10. 

$10 
and 
over. 

Candy  

2 

1 

1 

Laundries  

4 

4 

6 

9 

1 

2 

Stores 

20 

12 

11 

3 

11 

8 

22 

Telephone  exchange  .,  
Other  occupation  (shoes  and  woolen  goods)  

7 
1 

9 

3 
4 

2 
3 

2 
2 

1 
1 

Total  

34 

26 

24 

18 

16 

11 

25 

MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN. 


459 


Table    No.    70.— NATIVITY     PARENTAGE   AND    MARITAL   RELATIONS   OF    154   WOMEN 
WAGE-EARNERS  INTERROGATED  IN  THE  UPPER  PENINSULA. 


Occupation. 

j 

) 

it 

£ 

1 

j 

Widowed,  separated 
or  divorced. 

Candy 

4 

2 

2 

3 

1 

21 

5 

4 

22 

23 

2 

1 

Stores 

(a)     69 

15 

(b)     33 

50 

84 

2 

1 

Telephone  exchange 

23 

1 

(c)      13 

10 

23 

Other  occupations  (shoes  and  woolen  goods) 

7 

6 

1 

12 

12 

Total  

124 

27 

53 

96 

145 

5 

1 

(a)  Not  including  3,  nativity  not  reported. 

(b)  Not  including  4,  parentage  not  reported. 

(c)  Not  including  1,  parentage  not  reported. 

Of  all  those  interrogated  in  the  Upper  Peninsula,  only  one  began  to- 
work  when  under  12  years  of  age;  four  were  12  to  14;  six  were  14 
to  16;  96  were  16  to  20;  12  were  20  to  25;  two  were  25  to  30,  and  but 
one  was  30  or  over.    The  chances  for  advancement  were  reported  "good" 
)>y  118,  either  in  wages  or  position.    Only  26  had  "no  hope." 

One  only  reported  as  being  under  16  years  of  age;  11  were 
16  to  18;  30  were  18  to  20;  43  were  20  to  25;  24  were  25  to  30;  12  were 
30  to  40;  one  was  40  to  50,  and  one  was  over  50.  So  considerable  a 
number  declined  to  state  their  ages,  that  the  probabilities  are  that 
the  number  over  30  should  be  considerably  increased. 

Thirty-four  of  those  interrogated  had  from  six  to  11  in  their  families. 
Of  these  nine  had  six  in  the  family;  10  had  seven;  seven  had  eight; 
four  had  nine,  and  four  had  11.  Thirty-seven  had  saved  $1,433.15  dur- 
ing the  preceding  year,  an  average  of  |40  each;  and  f 799.56  of  this 
sum  had  been  invested,  mainly  in  homes. 

Only  26  reported  lost  time  from  sickness  either  personal  or  in  fam- 
ily. Forty  lost  from  one  to  four  weeks;  16  from  four  to  eight  weeks; 
five  from  eight  to  13  weeks;  nine  from  13  to  26  weeks;  and  five  from 
26  to  51  weeks.  Thirty-two  had  vacations  with  pay,  and  45  vacations 
without  pay,  the  vacations  totaling  45  weeks,  or  an  average  of  four 
days  each.  In  all  cases  loss  of  pay  through  fining  was  a  negligible 
quantity. 

In  32  establishments  there  were  17  good  toilets;  in  11  they  were  fair, 
and  in  three  they  were  bad.  In  one  establishment  the  toilet  was  not 
seen  as  the  place  was  closed  before  the  investigation  was  finished. 

So  many  of  Hie  wage-ram  ing  women  in  the  Upper  Peninsula  live 
at  home,  with  no  anxiety  as  to  whether  or  not  they  are  self-supporting, 
that  two-thirds  of  those  interrogated,  honestly  admitted  that  they 
did  not  know  how  much  it  was  necessary  to  have  in  order  to  be  self- 
supporting.  Three  thought  that  |6  to  |8  would  be  enough;  five  con- 
sidered that  $8  to  $9  would  be  none  too  much;  three  placed  the  figures 
at  between  $9  and  $10;  and  16  insisted  that  it  would  take  $10  a  week 
in  order  to  live  decently. 


APPENDIX  Z. 


THE    PEOBLEM     OF    BOOMING     CONDITIONS    CONFEONTING 
THE  WOMAN  ADEIFT. 


WHAT  DETROIT  OFFERS. 

When  a  girl  has  neither  friends  nor  relatives  to  board  with,  her 
problem  is  twofold ;  to  find  a  nice  room  and  to  find  a  place  to  eat  her 
meals.  Many  households  are  willing  to  rent  a  spare  room  to  strangers, 
but  few,  except  regular  boarding  houses,  wish  to  have  outsiders  at 
their  table.  Then,  too,  there  is  a  prejudice  against  girls.  They  want 
to  wash  out  little  things  such  as  collars  and  cuffs,  and  they  want  to 
use  the  parlor  to  entertain  their  company,  and  all  this  interferes  with 
domestic  routine.  On  the  other  hand  the  working  girl  desires  to  avoid 
the  expense  of  car  fare,  to  say  nothing  of  the  5 :50  P.  M".  jam  on  the  cars 
that  convey  the  toilers  of  a  large  city  to  the  residential  portions.  The 
"woman  adrift"  seeks  a  habitation  within  the  mile  or  mile  and  a  half 
circle,  with  ready  access  to  restaurants.  The  rooming  problem  in  De- 
troit was  thus  confined  to  the  down  town  districts. 

In  the  first  house  visited  on  Adams  Ave.,  East,  a  parlor  and  back 
parlor  on  the  first  floor  converted  into  bedrooms  were  shown.  They 
were  furnished  in  the  conventional  manner — a  brass  bed,  dresser,  wash 
stand,  table  and  two  rockers.  They  were  fairly  neat  and  in  good  con- 
dition. They  rented,  $6  for  the  front  room  and  |5  for  the  back 
parlor,  either  for  one  or  two  occupants.  The  bath  was  up  stairs  and 
the  landlady  said  we  could  go  back  and  forth  in  kimonos,  that  it  was 
all  right,  even  though  there  were  men  roomers  in  the  house.  As 
there  was  no  reception  hall  or  sitting-room  the  inquiry7  as  to  where 
one  could  entertain  gentlemen  callers  was  put  to  her.  The  reply  was: 
"You  can  entertain  friends  in  your  room  so  long  as  you  are  nice  about 
it.  You  understand?" 

"PICK-UPS"  NOT  ALLOWED. 

A  house  on  Brush  St.,  had  a  third  floor  front  room  for  $3.50  fur- 
nished like  those  first  visited.  The  bath  was  on  the  second  floor.  It 
was  necessary  to  pass  through  the  family  dining-room  to  the  stairway. 
No  parlor  or  sitting-room  .was  available  in  which  to  entertain.  The 
usual  question  was  put  as  to  what  one  did  with  one's  beau,  and  the 
answer  was :  "You  can  entertain  your  steady  in  your  room,  but  not  any 
"pick-ups." 

On  Columbia  West,  a  front  room  having  an  alcove  for  the  bed  and 
wash  stand  could  be  obtained  for  |6  and  a  side  room -for  $4.50.  The 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  461 

bath   was  "-nod  and  on  the  same  floor.     Entertaining  of  men  was  per- 
iniltiMl   in  bedrooms. 

( hi  Elizabeth   St.,  West,  were  two  good   rooming  houses  with  con 
venient  baths  and  well  furnished  rooms,  a  second  floor  room  for  $5  and 
one  on  third  floor  for  $4,  but  as  usual,  the  only  place  to  entertain  was  in 
Hie  bedrooms.     No  one  offered  any  objection  to  such  a  course  in  any  of 
Hie  places  visited. 

WHAT   A    PARLOR   OFFERS. 

When  requested  to  do  so  by  the  Commission,  it  was  pleasant 
lo  imagine  myself  back  again  in  the  days  of  girlhood  setting  out  to  look 
for  rooms.  As  there  would  have  to  be  some  proper  provision  for  en- 
tertaining acquaintances  of  both  sexes  on  the  evenings  they  would  call, 
I  kept  this  feature  particularly  in  mind. 

The  first  place  I  went  to  was  an  old-fashioned  house  near  Woodward 
Avenue,  full  three  stories  and  basement,  soaring  above  the  cottages 
nearby.  It  was  a  double  house,  with  one  porch  serving  for  both  fam- 
ilies. The  first  room  shown  me  was  the  parlor,  which  left  the  prospect 
of  but  my  own  room  in  which  to  entertain  company. 

The  parlor  was  amply  provided  with  a  large,  leather-covered  daven- 
port and  a  showy  brass  bed.  The  only  place  that  could  serve  for  closet 
room  was  the  narrow  space  behind  the  portieres  at  the  double  doorway 
at  the  back  of  the  room,  which  had  been  boarded  up  between  the  two 
parlors.  There  was  a  bay  window,  an  old-fashioned  grate  behind  the 
davenport,  and  too  much  furniture  for  comfort.  The  furniture  was 
new,  selected  without  any  idea  of  harmony.  The  pictures  were  in- 
artistic. The  rug,  clean  and  new,  too  brightly  colored,  and  of  a  hideous 
floral  design.  The  price  was  |7  a  week. 

In  starting  out  I  had  limited  myself  to  rooms  that  could  be  paid  for 
on  a  wage  of  $8.50  per  week.  I  imagined  myself  newly  arrived  in  De- 
troit, and  without  friends.  I  expected  to  find  other  accommodations 
later,  but  in  the  meantime  I  wanted  si  room  down  town,  to  save  car 
fare,  and  as  I  had  always  lived  at  home,  I  had  an  idea  that  I  could 
find  something  homelike  if  I  looked  long  enough.  This  explanation  is 
to  show  that  the  $7  a  week  room  was  out  of  the  question. 


There  was  another  room  on  the  third  floor  for  $3.50  a  week,  and  for 
$4  if  two  occupied  it.  It  was  small,  but  clean,  and  had  only  a  corner 
curtained  off  for  a  closet,  and  the  trunk  would  have  to  stand  in  the 
room.  There  was  a  toilet  and  bowl  on  this  floor,  and  bath  on  the  one 
below.  It  was  lighted  by  gas.  Its  one  window  gave  a  depressing  view 
of  roofs.  The  furniture,  was  unattractive,  and  consisted  of  a  three- 
quarter  bed,  light  oak  dresser,  wash  stand  and  two  chairs.  But  where 
could  one  entertain? 

The  landlady  was  young  and  neatly  dressed,  and  the  house  was  clean. 
She  looked  like  a  good  woman  but  was  "surprised"  that  a  boarder  should 
want  to  have  any  place  in  which  to  entertain  besides  her  room.  She 
said  she  had  roomed  herself,  and  would  never  have  stayed  where  she 
could  not  entertain  in  her  room.  She  said  she  felt  that  she  could 


462  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

trust  her  girls  and  thought  that  they  had  always  behaved  themselves. 
She  honestly  thought  it  was  very  foolish  to  object  to  entertaining  gen- 
tlemen friends  in  a  bedroom.  There  was  hot  water  but  twice  a  week. 
She  said  no  one  wanted  it  oftener. 

GENERAL   LACK    OF   CLOSET    ROOM. 

Across  the  street  there  wras  a  sign  in  the  window  which  read 
"Rooms."  A  woman,  two  dogs  and  a  cat  answered  the  ring,  and  the 
animals  had  to  be  coaxed  in  and  cared  for,  before  I  was  shown  the 
rooms.  The  parlor  on  the  first  floor  was  $5  a  week.  It  was  small, 
poorly  furnished,  and  not  very  clean.  There  was  a  bay  window.  Same 
arrangement  for  closet  as  across  the  street.  This  is  generally  the  only 
closet  room  provided  in  parlor  rooms.  There  was  also  a  room  on  the 
third  floor  which  was  |4  a  week  for  one,  and  $4.50  for  two.  The  stairs 
were  poor  to  the  second  floor  and  closed  and  dark  to  the  third.  The 
landlady  went  ahead  and  lighted  the  gas.  Here  was  also  a  front  room, 
with  four  windows,  dirty  curtains  carelessly  hung,  old  carpet,  and  a  few 
pieces  of  poor  furniture.  There  was  a  large  closet.  The  paper  was 
ugly  and  torn.  There  was  one  gas  jet  near  the  door.  It  was  dreadful. 
When  I  asked  about  entertaining  the  landlady  was  quite  sharp,  and 
seemed  to  think  it  was  a  silly  thing  to  want  any  other  place  to  take  a 
friend.  She  said  she  didn't  bother  about  rules  concerning  hours,  "but 
didn't  want  company  to  stay  all  night,  as  it  would  give  the  house  a 
bad  name."  Something  frightened  me  about  this  place;  the  strange, 
stale  odor,  the  dark  stairs,  the  horrible  room  and  the  woman — made 
one  shiver. 

A  few  streets  further  out  Woodward  Ave.,  and  across  to  the  West 
side,  I  found  a  good  looking  apartment  building.  They  said  "they 
did  not  usually  rent  to  girls,  but  that  several  rooms  were  vacant  and 
they  would  take  me."  There  was  no  parlor,  and  no  entertaining  al- 
lowed in  rooms.  It  was  really  a  very  large  rooming  house.  One 
room  on  the  third  floor  was  $4  a  week,  electric  light,  bath,  phone, 
maid  service,  and  fairly  well  furnished,  but  no  closet.  The  halls  had 
an  awful  mixture  of  odors. 

LIGHT   HOUSEKEEPING   IN   A   FRONT  PARLOR. 

An  advertisement  read  "Light  Housekeeping  Rooms."  I  like  to  do 
housekeeping  and  I  imagined  myself  preparing  such  dear  little  meals, 
and  saving  enough  to  pay  the  extra  rent,  and  have  a  fudge  spread  occa- 
sionally with  a  couple  of  the  other  girls.  Of  course,  it  turned  out  to  be 
the  front  parlor.  This  time  there  was  a  curtain  all  the  way  across, 
about  half  way  back.  A  crazy  dresser,  with  a  wash  bowl  and  pitcher 
on  it,  a  bed  and  a  couple  of  chairs,  furnished  the  front  part  of  the 
room.  Behind  the  curtain,  which  sagged  dejectedly  on  its  rope  sup- 
port, was  the  "kitchen"  and  "dining-room."  These  two  rooms  were 
indicated  by  a  kitchen  table,  a  gas  plate,  a  box  with  a  pail  on  it,  and  a 
few  dishes  in  it. 

Upstairs  was  another  "suite."  One  went  directly  into  the  "kitchen" 
and  from  there  into  the  bedroom.  Furniture  poor  and  dingy.  Bath 
on  this  floor,  with  hot  water  once  a  week,  which  seems  to  be  the  usual 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  463 

ill  the  summer  in  down  town  rooming  houses  where  a  girl  could 
all'ord  to  room. 

When  the  landlady  realized  that  I  did  not  care  for  the  rooms,  even 
at:  a  reduced  rent,  and  I  said  they  were  not  well  adapted  to  entertaining, 
she  said  that  she  never  rented  to  girls  anyway,  as  she  would  riot  allow 
'•company,"  and  that  I  could  not  expect  to  get  into  a  nice  place  if  I 
wanted  to  have  friends  come  to  the  house  to  see  me. 

At  another  house  where  lived  a  widow  and  her  mother  I  found  a  room 
for  $2.50  a  week.  The  house  was  a  dull  frame,  in  a  poor  neighbor- 
hood, but  there  were  two  windows  in  the  room,  everything  was  clean, 
and  there  was  an  opportunity  to  "wash  out  a  few  pieces,  and  get  a 
light  breakfast."  No  bath,  toilet  down  stairs  and  out  in  the  yard,  be- 
ing apparently  used  by  several  families. 

LANDLADIES    WERE   KIND. 

I  visited  many  more  rooms.  Some  of  the  landladies  put  the  price 
of  the  rooms  high,  and  then  came  down  to  more  reasonable  figures,  be- 
cause they  k'liked  my  looks"  or  "always  felt  sorry  for  a  girl  who  was  a 
stranger."  Some  of  them  were  willing  to  have  me  take  gentlemen  to 
my  room,  even  though  there  was  a  bed  in  it.  Some  did  not  object  to 
any  kind  or  kinds  of  company,  and  a  few  would  not  allow  any  enter- 
taining in  the  house. 

The  landladies  were  of  all  kinds.  Some  of  them  were  sorry  that 
there  was  no  parlor,  but  said  they  had  to  sleep  in  the  dining-room 
to  be  able  to  get  the  rent  together.  Others  had  no  idea  that  anyone 
could  object  to  having  a  man  friend  in  one's  bedroom.  Some  were  un- 
mistakably unconcerned  as  to  what  happened  to  the  girl  roomer  but 
suspected  the  worst  of  girls  anyway.  The  worst  looking  places,  and  I 
think  the  hardest-hearted  women,  always  finally  said  they  did  not 
allow  entertaining  in  the  house. 

HOTEL    ACCOMMODATIONS. 

In  one  small,  new  hotel,  near  Grand  River  Avenue,  was  an  attractive 
room  on  the  second  lloor,  with  small  closet,  hot  and  cold  water,  phone, 
electric  lights,  for  $5,  for  one,  or  $5.50  for  two.  There  was  an  eleva- 
tor, and  the  halls  were  attractive.  There  was  a  good  parlor,  company 
to  leave  at  11  o'clock.  This,  was,  and  in  fact  all  of  the  rooms  I 
looked  at  were,  within  walking  distance  of  the  store  in  which  I  was 
supposed  to  be  working.  This  hotel  room,  with  another  girl  to  share 
it  with  me,  was  what  I  should  have  taken.  It  was  much  better  than 
the  rooms  in  private  houses.  A  self-respecting  girl  would  feel  much 
better  satisfied  to  have  friends  of  any  kind  come  to  see  her  there  than 
at  the  other  places  I  had  looked  at.  She  could  have  hot  water  in 
that  nice  clean  bathroom  at  any  time  of  the  day  or  week  that  she 
wanted  it,  and  not  have  to  watch  for  the  chance  to  get  her  poor  share 
of  the  Saturday  allowance  that  the  other  places  considered  ample.  If 
a  girl  can  get  another  congenial  girl  to  share  this  room  with  her,  she 
will  have  $2.75  a  week  to  pay  for  room.  It  will  cost  her  $3.50  for 
meals,  at  least,  though  only  fifty  cents  a  day  is  apt  to  at  times  leave 
one  hungry.  Food  and  lodging  then,  absorbs  s<5.:^  a  week.  Can  the 


464  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

|8.50  girl  dress  and  amuse  herself  on  $2.25  a  week?   But  how  about  the 
$6  girl.     And  most  of  the  girls  receive  considerably  less  than  $8.50. 


ROOMS  AND  AMUSEMENTS  IN  KALAMAZOO. 

A  house  to  house  investigation  of  the  conditions  in  and  about  the 
rooms  in  Kalamazoo  which  working  girls  occupy,  reveals  the  fact  that 
the  room  may  mean  either  the  redemption  or  the  downfall  of  a  girl. 
Entering  with  zest  upon  the  task  set  before  me,  I  called  at  a  number  of 
houses  where  there  were  rooms  advertised  for  rent,  and  inquired  for  a 
room  just  as  though  I  expected  to  rent  it.  After  visiting  a  number 
of  private  homes,  blocks,  small  hotels,  the  mayor,  a  Catholic  priest  and 
the  chief  of  police,  I  was  more  thankful  than  ever  that  I  did  not  belong 
to  the  great  army  of  wage-earners  who  merely  eke  out  an  existence. 

One  of  the  first  houses  at  which  I  called  was  on  West  Kalamazoo 
Avenue  not  far  from  the  factory  district.  An  untidy  woman  came 
to  the  door  and  I  made  known  my  wishes.  She  eyed  me  with  suspicion 
and  bluntly  asked  "Where  do  you  live?  Where  are  you  going  to  work?" 
I  explained  that  I  was  looking  for  a  room  for  a  girl  friend  of  mine, 
who  was  going  to  work.  She  said  "I  have  no  room  for  girls.  I  do  not 
want  girls."  When  I  pressed  her  for  an  explanation,  she  said  "Well, 
girls  always  have  fellers."  After  awhile  I  said,  "And  you  have  no  place 
to  entertain  them?" 

"No!v  came  the  blunt  answer,  and  she  turned  and  walked  into  the 
house. 

ENTERTAINMENT. 

Nearly  everywhere  was  the  same  problem  of  entertainment,  in  a 
greater  or  lesser  degree.  The  next  place  where  I  called  the  woman  was 
very  talkative,  and  discussed  this  problem  freely.  She  showed  me  a 
room  on  the  second  floor  which  she  said  she  would  rent  for  $2  a  week. 
It  was  *about  14  feet  square,  had  two  windows  with  shades  and  lace 
curtains,  an  iron  bed,  a  commode,  a  mirror,  a  rocker  and  a  straight  back 
chair.  The  floor  was  painted,  and  had  two  small  rugs.  There  was  no 
clothes-press,  but  a  corner  of  the  room  was  curtained  off  for  that 
purpose.  It  was  a  back  room  and  seemed  to  be  well  ventilated.  The 
paper  was  dark  and  cheerless.  The  room  was  heated  with  a  drum  on  a 
stovepipe. 

The  bathroom  was  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall.  It  was  furnished 
as  all  bathrooms  are,  but  had  no  bowl.  It  was  not  very  clean.  There 
was  no  way  of  heating  the  water.  There  were  four  men  boarders  and 
roomers  who  had  their  rooms  on  the  same  floor  and  of  course  used  the 
same  bathroom. 

I  asked  where  a  girl  could  entertain  her  company,  and  the  answer 
quickly  came,  "Oh,  I  don't  bother  with  that.  When  I  was  out  in  ser- 
vice I  was  compelled  to  walk  the  streets  with  my  company  and  the  girls 
are  no  better  now.  If  you  give  a  girl  a  few  privileges  she  will  take  all 
she  can  get."  "But,"  I  said,  "my  friend  is  not  that  sort  of  a  girl."  Then 
she  said  that  if  a  girl  was  respectable  and  had  steady  company  she 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  465 

would  not  object  to  her  using  the  parlor  twice  a  week.  But  she  said 
(hat  she  did  not  want  to  keep  girls  on  that  account,  and  did  not  wanl 
to  bother  with  them.  She  said  she  was  often  called  up  by  couples  who 
asked  for  rooms  at  12  o'clock  at  night.  She  said,  "I'm  as  sorry  as  I 
can  be  for  girls,  but  I'm  not  rich,  and  I  cannot  help  them." 

About  three  blocks  from  the  factory  district  on  Ransom  Street,  in  a 
two  story  wooden  building,  I  found  a  small  room  about  eight  feet  wide 
and  10  feet  long  which  rented  for  $1.25.  It  was  lighted  with  one  window, 
and  heated  with  a  register.  The  furniture  consisted  of  a  sanitary  cot, 
a  small  dresser,  a  chair  and  a  stand.  The  floor  was  covered  with  a 
rug.  The  bathroom  was  on  the  first  floor.  To  reach  it  one  had  to  go 
downstairs,  through  the  hall,  the  sitting-room  and  the  dining-room. 
The  oil  stove  was  the  only  means  of  heating  the  room. 

Three  families  and  two  roomers  made  up  the  household,  and  she  ex- 
plained that  the  porch  was  full,  but  there  was  no  other  place  to  en- 
lertain  company.  She  wrould  not  allow  company  in  the  girl's  room. 
She  did  not  present  a  very  neat  appearance.  Her  dressing  sacque  and 
skirt  were  not  clean,  her  hair  was  untidy  and  she  was  in  her  stocking 
feet. 

OFFERED   A   PORCH. 

Within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  Baptist  church  was  another  inter- 
esting place.  Both  of  the  rooms  which  the  woman  offered  were  on 
the  second  floor.  They  were  furnished,  lighted  and  heated  in  a  very  de- 
sirable way.  The  back  room  had  a  sanitary  cot  and  rented  for  $1.25. 
The  other  had  a  large,  old-fashioned  bed,  and  rented  for  $1.50.  There 
was  no  bathroom  in  the  building,  and  the  toilet  was  down  two  flights 
of  stairs  in  the  basement.  There  were  a  number  of  other  roomers. 

When  I  asked  about  the  place  in  which  the  girl  would  entertain  her 
company  she  shook  her  head,  and  said,  "I  haven't  any  place.  They 
can  use  the  porch  in  Hie  summer,  but  they  can't  sit  out  there  howling 
around  all  night,  I  tell  ye!"  "But  the  porch  will  not  last  all  winter," 
I  said.  -Well,  there's  no  place,"  she  said. 

On  the  main  street  in  Kalamazoo  is  a  terrace.  The  room  which  was 
shown  me  was  about  Hi  feet  square  and  rented  for  s:>.50.  It  was  beau- 
tifully furnished  with  a  double  brass  bed,  a  dresser,  rocker  and  two 
chairs.  A  rug  almost  covered  the  hardwood  floor.  Two  \vindows  and 
a  clothes-press  made  the  room  comfortable.  There  was  a  modern  bath- 
room on  the  same  floor.  Everything  was  clean  and  neat.  This  time  I 
objected  to  entertaining  my  company  in  my  room,  and  she  said,  "Well, 
you  will  not  find  many  places  where  girls  are  allowed  the  use  of  the  par- 
lor, and  the  room  is  preferable  to  the  street."  1  also  objected  to  send- 
ing my  company  away  as  early  as  10  o'clock,  as  she  seemed  to  require, 
and  she  said,  "You'll  also  find  that  rule  wherever  you  go." 

It  seemed  that  a  mosl  undesirable  place  was  about  two  blocks  from 
the  corset  factory.  It  was  a  two  story  wooden  building,  and  from  the 
lime  I  left  the  sidewalk  I  saw  nothing  but  what  was  filthy — the  woman, 
the  stairway,  the  bathroom  and  the  sleeping  room.  The  room  rented 
for  $1.50.  It  was  about  12  feet  square,  had  one  window,  a  clothes-press, 
a  dirty  rug,  a  dresser,  an  iron  bed,  a  folding  stand  and  a  rocking  chair. 
The  paper  was  torn  and  the  shade  was  worn  out  and  full  of  holes.  Tn 
59 


466  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

spite  of  this  filthy  condition,  I  asked  if  I  might  get  board  there  too, 
and  to  my  joy  she  refused,  giving  as  her  reason  there  was  nothing  in 
board.  All  the  profit  was  gone  before  one  had  finished  buying  the  food. 
She  had  no  place  for  girls  to  entertain  their  company. 

ONLY  THE  ROOM. 

There  is  a  place  where  board  and  room  could  be  obtained  on  South 
Edward  street.  The  room  is  very  small,  about  8x10,  and  rented  for 
f  1.50.  With  board  it  is  |4.  There  is  a  clothes-press  in  connection  with 
the  room.  One  window  lets  in  the  light  and  a  register  furnishes  the 
heat.  There  is-  a  gas  jet  in  the  room,  bed,  dresser  and  a  chair.  The  bath- 
room is  downstairs  and  can  be  reached  by  going  through  the  hall,  din- 
ing-room and  kitchen.  Everything  seemed  strictly  sanitary.  There  is 
a  saloon  keeper,  a  traveling  man  and  a  woman  with  her  son  rooming 
and  boarding  there.  The  table  was  ready  for  supper  and  looked  quite 
appetizing.  The  woman  of  the  house  was  surprised  when  I  asked  about 
the  provision  she  had  made  for  company.  She  said,  "Why,  I  never 
thought  to  make  preparation  for  that.  I  do  not  know  any  place,  only 
the  room."  "But  I  don't  like  that,"  I  said.  "That's  the  only  place,  but 
if  you  wish,  you  may  entertain  here  in  the  dining-room." 

In  a  two  story  wooden  building,  some  six  blocks  from  the  heart  of 
the  city,  were  two  desirable  rooms.  One  was  a  back  room,  on  the 
second  floor,  furnished  with  a  dresser,  a  bed  and  two  chairs.  It  had  a 
clothes-press,  two  windows,  and  pretty,  light  colored  paper.  The  other 
room  was  about  8x10  feet  square,  and  had  a  folding  bed,  chiffonier, 
two  chairs  and  a  clothes-press.  Both  were  heated  by  a  radiator.  The 
bathroom,  not  clean,  was  downstairs,  and  was  reached  by  going 
through  the  sitting-room,  dining-room  and  kitchen.  The  woman  of  the 
house  said  that  she  had  always  allowed  her  girls  to  entertain  in  their 
rooms.  She  said  if  a  girl  was  pure  and  good  there  was  nothing  wrong 
about  it,  and  her  girls  had  never  betrayed  the  confidence  she  had  placed 
in  them. 

HOW    ABOUT    THE    NIGHT? 

I  also  visited  three  blocks  and  a  small  hotel.  The  blocks  were  not 
"perfectly  clean."  One  room  shown  had  no  outside  light,  only  a  window 
into  a  hall  which  was  lighted  by  a  window  in  the  ceiling.  One  room  had 
an  inner  door  which  was  tied  shut  with  a  shoestring.  The  toilets  were 
on  the  same  floor,  and  were  not  lighted  at  all.  Several  roomers  of  both 
sexes  use  them.  There  are  open  sinks  in  the  hall.  The  rooms  are  well 
furnished  and  rent  from  $1.50  to  $2.  There  is  nothing  suspicious  in  the 
appearance  of  the  places  in  the  daylight.  It  is  different  at  night. 

When  I  objected  to  letting  my  company  go  home  at  12,  they  said  I 
might  keep  him  later  if  he  was  respectable.  Evidently  some  do  not 
care  enough  about  keeping  their  places  up  to  a  good  moral  standard  to 
inquire  into  the  character  or  the  affairs  of  their  roomers. 

Y.    W.    C.    A.    HAS    NO    ROOMS. 

The  Young  Woman's  Christian  Association  offers  no  rooms  to  the 
factory  girls;  it  is  merely  for  those  who  desire  a  room  for  a  short  time, 
because  of  lack  of  accommodations  in  its  present  quarters.  The  two 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  467 

rooms  which  they  have  are  connected  by  a  large  double  door,  (the  doors 
are  lacking)  and  contain  two  dressers,  two  stands,  four  single  iron 
beds  and  two  chairs.  They  are  on  the  third  floor.  The  toilet  room  (with 
no  bath)  is  on  the  same  floor.  They  charge  50  cents  over  night,  or  $2.50 
a  week.  However  there  are  many  times  when  they  do  not  charge  a 
ti'irl  anything  for  the  room  when  she  is  in  no  condition  to  pay.  There 
a  iv  a  number  of  girls  who  take  their  meals  at  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  and  who 
meet  there  for  their  club  meetings  which  are  held  once  in  two  weeks. 
They  are  under  the  supervision  of  the  Extension  Secretary.  They  read 
stories,  dramas,  have  parties,  and  play  in  the  gymnasium  on  the  fourth 
floor.  The  parlor  is  open  until  9:30  P.  M.,  and  the  girls  are  urged  to 
use  it  for  their  company  of  both  sexes. 

There  are  about  5,000  girls  and  women  employed  in  Kalamazoo,  but 
it  is  not  known  just  how  many  of  these  are  living  away  from  their  own 
homos.  The  Y.  W.  C.  A.  reaches  only  a  small  per  cent  of  these. 

The  churches  of  Kalamazoo  offer  an  opportunity  for  social  times.  But 
only  a  small  per  cent  of  the  girls  take  advantage  of  this.  The  girls 
whom  I  know  say  they  are  too  tired  to  attend  social  gatherings  in  the 
churches.  The  only  other  opportunities  are  the  public  dance  halls,  the 
skating  rinks  and  the  theatres.  The  chief  of  police  said  to  me  when  I 
spoke  to  him  of  them,  "They  are  breeding  places  for  vice.  Yet  there  is 
nothing  tangible  in  the  way  of  evidence  that  they  are  not  what  they 
ought  to  be.  Girls  are  immoral  because  they  choose  to  be.  Everyone 
is  what  they  are,  because  of  their  desires." 

Although  the  situation  in  Kalamazoo  is  deplorable  for  those  girls  who 
receive  very  small  earnings,  yet  those  whose  earnings  will  permit,  and 
those  who  have  friends  in  the  city,  may  choose  for  themselves  rooms 
which  possess  every  necessity  and  some  luxuries.  A  girl  who  works  in 
one  of  the  large  department  stores  receives  f  7  a  week.  She  and  her  room- 
ma  te  pay  $5  a  week  for  three  rooms  in  which  they  do  light  housekeep- 
ing. They  are  less  than  a  block  from  the  car  line.  The  room  is  on  West 
Walnut.  They  have  a  sitting-room  which  is  furnished  with  a  table, 
a  rug,  two  rocking  chairs,  two  common  chairs  and  a  sideboard.  The 
kitchen  is  just  large  enough  for  a  kitchen  cabinet,  a  small  table  and  a 
lias  plate.  The  bedroom  has  an  iron  bed,  a  dresser,  a  commode  and  a 
small  rug.  They  are  allowed  to  keep  their  company  as  long  as  they 
wish,  which  is  11  o'clock. 

Another  clerk  receives  f  G  a  week,  she  rooms  almost  13  blocks  from 
her  work,  and  almost  two  blocks  from  a  car  line.  She  and  her  room- 
mate pay  $2.50  for  the  room,  which  is  furnished  with  a  wooden  bed, 
a  dresser,  two  small  tables  and  two  rockers  and  two  small  chairs.  The* 
room  has  two  small  rugs,  two  small  windows  and  a  clothes-press.  A 
well  equipped  bathroom  is  on  the  same  floor.  These  girls  knew  the 
people  before  they  went  there  to  room,  but  it  makes  no  difference  in 
the  price  of  the  room.  They  entertain  their  company  in  the  sitting 
room,  but  the  other  girls  entertain  in  their  own  room.  They  have  a 
strict  10  o'clock  rule  when  company  should  leave. 

A  stenographer  rooms  on  South  Park  St.,  who  receives  $8  for  her  work. 
She  and  her  roommate  pay  $5  for  their  room  and  breakfast.  Their 
room  is  14  blocks  from  their  work,  which  distance  they  usually  walk. 
The  room  is  furnished  with  a  wooden  l>e<l,  a  chiffonier,  a  dresser,  a  table, 
three  chairs,  and  a  carpet  covers  the  floor.  There  are  also  two  windows 


468  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

and  a  clothes-press.  The  bathroom  is  on  the  same  floor.  The  girls  en- 
tertain their  company  anywhere  in  the  house,  and  as  late  as  they  choose. 
The  room  is  heated  with  hot  air. 

Another  stenographer  has  a  room  on  Lovell  St.,  for  which  she  pays 
$2.50  a  week.  Her  wages  are  $10.  The  room  is  lighted  with  gas,  and 
furnished  with  a  sanitary  couch,  a  trunk,  a  writing  desk,  three  rock- 
ing chairs,  a  stand,  a  commode,  a  dresser,  and  a  brussels  rug.  The 
furniture  is  all  mahogany.  The  room  has  three  windows  and  is  heated 
with  a  furnace.  She  entertains  her  company  in  her  room  until  11  o'clock. 
There  are  two  bathrooms  which  are  well  furnished.  She  may  have 
breakfast  in  her  room,  but  prefers  to  have  it  in  the  store  where  she 
works. 

THIS   GIRL  IS   IN   LUCK. 

There  is  a  remarkable  situation  on  Stockbridge  Avenue,  about  one 
and  one-quarter  miles  from  the  center  of  the  city.  The  girl  who  rooms 
here  is  a  stenographer.  Her  room  costs  only  $1  a  week,  and  she  has  the 
privilege  of  using  the  whole  house  and  the  automobile,  she  says.  She 
knew  of  these  people  through  a  former  classmate.  The  room  is  furnish- 
ed with  an  iron  bed,  a  chiffonier  and  a  dresser,  three  chairs,  a  small 
table  and  a  rug.  There  are  three  windows  in  the  room.  She  entertains 
her  company  until  11  o'clock. 

A  number  of  rooms  advertised  in  the  Telegraph-Press,  seem,  upon  in- 
vestigation, to  be  desirable.  One  is  in  a  new  stucco  house,  two  blocks 
from  the  post  office.  The  room  rents  for  $2  a  week.  It  is  furnished 
with  a  dresser,  an  iron  bed  and  chairs.  A  girl  would  have  the  privilege 
of  entertaining  her  company  in  the  sitting-room.  On  Academy  Street 
there  are  three  rooms  to  be  rented  singly.  They  are  newly  papered  and 
the  woodwork  is  finished  in  white  enamel.  The  furniture  consists  of  a 
dresser,  a  bed,  chairs  and  rug.  Each  room  has  a  clothes-press.  It  is 
lighted  with  electricity  and  is  heated  with  a  furnace.  The  landlady 
is  not  strict  about  entertaining  late  at  night,  but  she  prefers  the  girls 
to  use  the  parlor.  She  wishes  girls  to  have  some  privileges. 

There  are  rooms  on  West  Lovell  Street,  where  girls  might  do  light 
housekeeping.  There  are  two  bathrooms  in  the  building.  The  rooms 
have  new  furniture  and  are  well  equipped  for  their  purpose.  Light 
and  heat  are  provided.  The  rooms  are  only  two  blocks  from  the  car 
line,  and  rent  for  $5.  The  only  restriction  upon  company  is  that  they 
be  quiet. 

During  the  winter  of  1913-14  the  People's  church  kept  their  parlors 
open  and  heated  and  lighted  them  so  that  the  working  girls  might  en- 
tertain their  men  friends.  Dancing  and  games  were  provided  for  and 
free  lunches  given.  However,  this  proved  to  be  a  failure  for  only  a  few 
girls  came,  and  no  men.  The  explanation  was  that  the  men  who  would 
come  the  girls  would  not  bring,  because  they  were  ashamed  of  them, 
and  those  whom  the  girls  desired  to  bring,  would  not  come. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  409 


SAGINAW  ROOMING  CONDITIONS. 

Compared  with  the  large  cities  the  medium-sized  town  offers  most 
for  I  lie  money  in  the  shape  of  a  furnished  room.  In  a  nice  appearing 
house  on  Washington  St.,  Saginaw,  not  far  from  the  down  town  district, 
a  well  furnished  front  room,  having  an  iron  bed,  dresser,  wash  stand 
and  chairs,  could  be  rented  for  $2.50  a  week,  and  a  side  room  in  the 
same  house  for  |2. 

On  the  same  street,  at  a  greater  distance  from  the  business  district 
was  found  a  nice  front  room  with  breakfasts  provided  for  $12  a  month. 
A  nearby  boarding  house  furnished  meals  for  25  cents  each- 

On  Jefferson  Street  was  found  a  front  room  for  $2  and  a  small  side 
room  adequately  furnished  for  $1.50  a  week.  There  was  a  good  bath 
on  the  same  floor,  and  a  downstairs  sitting-room  in  which  the  roomers 
could  entertain  company. 

A  South  Warren  street  house  had  a  front  room  for  $2.75,  with  a 
modern  bath  and  a  parlor  for  the  use  of  the  roomers. 

A  good  room  for  $2  on  North  Jefferson  Street,  had  a  modern  bath, 
bul  no  place  where  a  girl  could  see  her  friends,  nor  were  men  permitted 
in  the  bedrooms. 

A    QUESTIONABLE    HOUSE. 

The  only  questionable  place  I  came  across  in  Saginaw  was  a  house 
on  Ilaydeii  street.  Its  appearance  was  against  it,  but  its  nearness  to 
a  station  made  it  seem  the  kind  which  an  unsophisticated  girl  arriving 
from  her  country  home  might  easily  choose,  especially  as  a  motherly 
sort  of  a  woman  sat  on  the  doorstep.  On  inquiring  for  rooms  she  led 
me  into  a  front  room  where  two  old  men  sat  at  a  table  playing  cards. 
The  only  other  furniture,  besides  the  table  and  the  chairs,  was  a  phono- 
graph. The  room  had  the  odor  of  stale  whisky,  and  when  the  woman 
lighted  the  lamp,  I  could  see  the  unmistakable  red  nose  that  proclaimed 
her  favorite  beverage.  I  argued  that  the  unsophisticated  girl  would  not 
note  these  outward  and  visible  signs,  so  I  followed  the  woman  up  a  nar- 
row stairway  and  down  a  narrow  hall  to  a  front  room,  furnished  witli 
a  weary  looking  wooden  bedstead,  a  dilapidated  dresser  and  a  straight 
chair.  Beside  the  door  was  an  electric  bell,  an  unusual  thing  for  a 
respectable  rooming  house.  The  price  was  $1.75.  Remarking  that  I 
wanted  something  better  I  fled  from  the  place. 

Y.    W.    C.    A.    OFFERS   ACCOMMODATIONS. 

Sagiuaw  has  a  well  equipped  Y.  W.  C.  A.  building  where  a  room  for 
two  may  be  had  for  $1  and  $1.25  apiece  per  week,  and  single  rooms  for 
$1.75  and  *-  a  week.  There  is  ;i  cafeteria  on  the  first  floor  where  food 
is  obtainable  for  a  reasonable  price.  It  is  estimated  one  can  live  there 
for  $5  a  week.  There  is  also  a  place  in  the  basement  where  a  girl  may 
prepare  her  own  meals  if  she  linds  it  necessary  to  keep  her  living  below 
$5.  A  laundry  and  sewing  room  also  are  provided  for  the  use  of  the 


470  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

girls.  The  accommodations  are  in  such  demand  that  there  is  a  wait- 
ing list,  and  so  they  have  a  list  of  approved  rooms  that  rent  for  from 
$1  to  $2.50.  Among  these  was  listed  a  suite  of  rooms  for  $3.50  a  week, 
and  three  light  housekeeping  rooms  for  $17  a  month. 


BOOMING    HOUSE   CONDITIONS   IN    SMALL   TOWNS. 

Up  State  there  is  little  call  for  rooms  to  rent  by  the  working  girl, 
for  she  usually  lives  at  home  or  with  a  relative.  When  her  associa- 
tions with  a  relative's  household  become  severed  either  through  death 
or  her  own  inclination,  she  goes  to  Detroit  if  she  lives  on  the  east  side 
of  the  State,  or  to  Chicago  if  her  town  is  on  the  west  side.  However, 
the  rooming  problem  is  thrust  upon  the  few  who  have  become  so  inti- 
mately affiliated  with  their  native  towns  that  they  do  not  care  to  depart, 
or  who  have  reached  the  topmost  place  in  factory  or  store. 

In  Traverse  City,  a  room,  and  breakfasts  and  suppers  may  be  had 
for  $2.50  a  week  in  a  house  with  a  modern  bath  and  a  parlor  in  which 
to  entertain  company.  In  addition  to  these  accommodations  a  girl  may 
if  she  desires  do  her  own  laundry  work.  Dinners  at  a  restaurant  down 
town  amount  to  from  $1  to  $1.50  a  week,  making  her  living  expenses 
about  $3.50  or  $4  a  week. 

For  $4.50  a  week  a  room  and  three  meals  a  day  can  be  obtained,  with 
the  use  of  parlor  and  bath. 

ROOM    AND   BOARD    FOR   $3.50    A   WEEK. 

It  is  possible  to  get  a  room  and  board  for  $3.50  a  week,  but  the  house 
is  a  long  walk  from  the  center  of  the  town,  and  that  is  an  important 
item  in  a  place  where  there  are  no  street  cars.  In  this  house  there  was 
no  bath  and  no  privileges  of  any  kind. 

Some  of  the  girls  have  taken  advantage  of  a  new  apartment  house 
recently  constructed  in  the  city  where  three  unfurnished  rooms  and 
bath  suite  can  be  rented  for  $10  a  month.  It  was  estimated  that  gas 
costs  $1.25  a  month,  ice  $2  and  food  supplies  $14,  making  household 
expenses  $27.25  for  two. 

THE    WOMAN    "ADRIFT"    MOVES    AWAY. 

In  Alpena  and  Cheboygan  none  of  the  girls  interviewed  boarded  with 
strangers,  but  inquiry  brought  out  the  fact  that  board  and  room  in 
both  these  towns  can  be  obtained  in  a  house  with  modern  bath  for  $4.50 
a  week. 

No  one  in  Manistee  among  the  girls  interrogated  boarded  with  strang- 
ers, or  knew  anyone  who  did ;  nor  did  anyone  have  any  idea  what  board 
would  cost  in  that  city  for  a  girl  "adrift."  The  question  usually  brought 
the  answer  that  if  a  girl  did  not  have  "folks"  in  the  city  she  would  go 
to  Grand  Rapids,  Milwaukee  or  Chicago  to  work. 

In  Ludington,  only  one  girl  was  found  living  among  strangers.  She 
paid  $1  a  week  for  her  room,  in  a  house  in  which  there  was  no  bath, 
and  where  there  was  no  place  to  entertain.  Meals  cost  $2  a  week.  One 
girl  said  that  board  and  room  in  a  house  having  a  bathroom  would 
cost  from  $4  to  $5. 


APPENDIX   AA. 


LITTLE  STORIES  OF  HEART  INTEREST  TOLD  TO  THE  INTER- 
ROGATORS. 

Tinder  the  column  of  "remarks"  on  the  blanks  of  the  interrogators  of 
the  8,512  Michigan  wage-earning  women  interviewed,  are  many  hints  of 
stories  of  heart  interest.  These  are  not  confined  to  any  one  occupation 
or  to  any  one  city.  They  occur  in  small  places  as  well  as  large  commer- 
cial centers,  and  with  those  who  live  at  home  as  well  as  those  adrift. 
As  giving  glimpses  of  "how  the  other  half  lives,"  a  few  of  these  stories, 
taken  almost  at  random,  and  without  any  attempt  to  accentuate  the 
conditions  shown,  are  here  given. 

Mrs.  C —  -  is  a  presser  in  a  garment  factory.  She  receives  $8  a  week. 
She  was  left  a  widow  eleven  years  ago,  and  has  raised  four  children. 
She  had  a  serious  ailment  that  was  much  aggravated  by  standing,  but 
was  unable  to  take  any  time  off.  Her  son  had  recovered  from  a  tedious 
case  of  typhoid,  and  had  just  started  to  work  again.  There  had  been 
much  loss  of  time  for  both  of  the  bread-winners,  and  there  were  debts 
to  be  paid.  She  could  not  afford  to  go  to  a  doctor  for  herself. 

Dora  R.,  a  Russian  Jewess,  was  a  machine  operator  in  a  garment  fac- 
forv  when  interviewed.  Had  been  operator  on  corsets  before.  Was  just 
learning  to  put  the  parts  of  dresses  together,  but  only  one  week  had  she 
made  as  much  as  $6.34.  Said  that  there  had  been  a  mistake  in  her  pay 
envelope  at  another  factory,  and  when  she  asked  to  have  it  straightened 
out,  she  was  put  off  from  time  to  time,  until  she  went  to  the  superin- 
tendent about  it.  He  was  so  cross  that  she  left  without  her  pay. 

Mrs.  P.,  a  German  woman,  unable  to  speak  English,  has  a  husband 
who  had  been  without  work  for  six  months.  They  had  four  small  chil- 
dren, and  had  gone  in  debt  $85.  She  was  trying  to  earn  money,  but  had 
to,  leave  her  children  alone  and  was  not  able  to  earn  much.  Her  hus- 
band had  gone  away,  and  she  was  afraid  for  him,  as  he  had  been  with- 
out work  so  long  he  was  desperate. 

Marie,  a  17-year-old  corset  maker,  lost  two  months  on  account  of 
sickness  during  the  year.  She  pays  $3.50  a  week  for  her  board,  15  cents 
a  day  for  her  lunch,  43  cents  a  week  for  car  fare,  10  cents  for  insurance, 
and  earns  between  $5  and  $7,  piece-work.  Work  is  slack,  and  she  is  in 
debt  $7  to  her  landlady,  and  it  makes  it  unpleasant  for  her  to  go  home. 
She  wants  lo  pay  her  back  board,  but  her  shoes  are  worn  out,  and  she 
finds  it  hard  to  know  which  to  do  first. 


472  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

An  old  lady  doing  hand  sewing  in  a  garment  factory  has  worked  all 
her  life,  and  has  lived  a  life  of  strict  economy.  Has  had  good  health 
herself,  but  had  to  take  care  of  a  sick  husband.  Says-  that  after  work- 
ing 55  years,  and  being  careful  and  well  most  of  the  time,  she  has  been 
able  to  save  only  about  $200.  She  is  now  earning  f  7  a  week,  with  about 
three  months'  lay-off  during  the  year. 

Olga  B.  works  in  a  laundry  in  a  small  town.  She  lives  with  her  par- 
ents and  pays  $18  a  month  for  board  for  herself  and  child.  There  are 
fourteen  besides  herself  in  the  family.  She  earns  |6  per  week,  and  |2 
a  month  doing  some  extra  work.  She  was  deserted  a  year  or  so  ago. 
She  is  an  intelligent  looking,  and  attractive  girl,  in  spite  of  her  lack  of 
advantages  at  home,  and  her  hard  life  now. 

Mrs.  S.  is  a  little  Bohemian  woman,  who  is  a  presser  in  a  garment 
factory.  Her  husband  is  dying  with  tuberculosis.  She  bought  a  lot  for 
|5  down,  and  pays  |5  per  month.  They  put  up  a  little  one-room  shack. 
Her  husband  needs  eggs  and  meat,  so  their  groceries  cost  them  1 6  a 
week,  and  she  has  to  pay  car  fare.  She  is  a  piece-worker,  and  averages 
about  |8  per  week.  They  have  been  in  America  just  ten  months. 

A  very  pretty  woman,  20  years  old,  working  in  a  laundry  in  a  small 
town,  was  one  of  many  mothers  who  realize  that  it  is  the  children  who 
suffer  when  the  mother  has  to  be  away  from  them  day  after  day.  She 
was  deserted  by  her  husband  four  years  ago,  and  noAV  earns  fl  a  day 
as  a  starcher.  She  worked  in  the  restaurant  at  first  and  was  paid  f 4 
and  board.  Her  parents,  who  are  poor,  have  her  and  the  children  with 
them,  and  the  extra  |2  a  week  in  money  is  of  more  value  to  the  family, 
than  her  board  away  from  home  would  be  to  them.  She  also  saves  on 
clothes  expense  in  laundry.  Her  three  children  are  eleven,  ten  and  five 
years  old.  The  two  older  children,  having  so  many  rulers,  are  getting 
beyond  control.  She  feels  that  they  would  be  all  right  if  she  could  have 
them  to  herself,  but  as  she  is  unable  to  wholly  support  them  herself, 
knows  that  she  will  have  to  consent  to  having  them  placed  in  an  institu- 
tion. She  is  capable  of  filling  a  better  position  in  the  world,  but  oppor- 
tunities of  employment  are  limited,  and  she  was  glad  to  get  work  where 
she  is. 

A  woman  with  such  a  charming,  pleasant  looking  face  that  anyone 
would  be  glad  to  see  her  even  when  things  were  going  wrong,  was  scrub- 
bing in  a  factory.  She  was  57  years  old,  and  was  given  f  8  and  her  dinners. 
She  used  to  board  children,  and  adopted  two  boys  and  brought  them  up 
herself,  one  being  18  and  the  other  12  now.  She  has  had  a  hard  time 
to  get  along  part  of  the  time,  but  the  older  boy  has  turned  out  well, 
and  is  working  in  the  same  factory.  The  younger  boy  is  in  school  but 
is  still  a  problem.  He  is  full  of  life,  and  she  feels  the  effect  of  leaving 
him  alone  all  day.  Some  of  her  friends  have  given  her  things  for  him 
to  wear,  and  she  has  paid  out  $43.50  for  his  clothes  during  the  past 
year.  It  was  more  than  she  had  spent  for  her  own. 

A  little  woman,  with  a  twisted  spine,  made  paper  patterns,  and  re- 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  473 

ceived  $9  a  week.  She  has  her  aged  parents  to  support  entirely,  and 
they  arc  77  and  7!)  years  old,  and  feeble.  She  decided  when  her  wages 
were  raised  to  |9  that  she  had  better  buy  a  house,  so  she  did,  and  pays 
Nil'  per  month,  and  the  taxes,  which  were  120.05  last  year,  besides  the 
water  lax,  which  amounted  to  almost  $5.  She  said  that  when  she  got 
s'.i  she  thought  she  would  never  want  any  more,  but  the  past  year  every- 
thing has  been  so  high  she  has  had  a  hard  time  to  keep  even.  Her  father 
has  ulcers  on  his  legs,  and  she  has  to  buy  cotton  and  salve  for  him.  al- 
though they  take  advantage  of  a  clinic,  and  their  clothes  are  all  given 
to  them  by  friends.  She  was  not  complaining,  only  stating  conditions. 
She  had  been  nine  years  with  the  firm. 

A  saleswoman  in  a  ribbon  department,  where  she  has  been  for  two 
years,  is  a  widow  and  has  a  baby  girl  three  years  old.  She  is  paid  |8 
per  week.  She  lives  with  her  mother,  who  takes  care  of  the  baby  for 
her,  and  she  pays  her  mother  $3.50  a  week  for  the  two.  She  does  her 
own  ironing  and  sewing.  Her  husband  had  started  to  buy  their  home, 
and  she  rents  it,  but  gets  just  the  amount  of  the  monthly  payments.  The 
taxes  amount  to  $46  a  year,  which  she  has  had  to  pay  out  of  her  earn- 
ings. The  house  has  not  been  vacant,  though.  She  does  not  know  what 
would  happen  if  it  had  to  be  idle,  as  her  parents  are  poor,  and  she  had 
to  sell  some  of  her  furniture  to  pay  the  last  year's  taxes.  Her  baby  was 
sick,  also,  and  she  lost  four  days  on  that  account.  When  she  asked  for 
the  raise  that  had  been  promised  her,  the  manager  asked  her  if  $8  were 
not  better  than  nothing,  which  she  thought  held  a  threat  of  discharge. 

Mary  is  a  15-year-old  Polish  child,  working  as  a  shaker  in  a  laundry. 
She  left  school  at  13,  because  her  father  was  dying  and  her  mother  was 
dead,  and  her  sister  had  to  go  out  to  earn  money  for  them.  She  has  done 
all  the  home  washing  since  she  was  11.  Now  her  sister  is  sick,  and  they 
live  in  one  room,  and  she  has  to  go  to  work.  She  is  glad  for  she  was 
tired  of  staying  at  home  to  do  the  housework.  She  was  in  the  fifth 
grade  when  she  left  school. 

Esther  is  a  pretty  girl  of  20.  She  had  kept  house  for  her  father  and 
taken  care  of  her  two  little  brothers  since  she  Avas  12,  when  her  mother 
died.  She  never  had  any  money  of  her  own,  and  her  father  was  ill- 
tempered,  so  she  decided  to  leave  home,  and  work  for  herself.  She  left 
her  little  home  town  for  the  city,  but  became  so  confused  when  she  got 
on  the  street  car  that  she  forgot  her  suit  case  when  she  got  off,  and  it 
contained  all  of  her  clothing.  She  was  fortunate  enough  to  find  work 
in  a  few  days,  and  where  they  paid  her  $6  to  start  as  a  machine  oper- 
ator. She  appreciated  the  fact  that  she  was  of  little  use  to  the  firm  for 
some  time,  and  tried  her  best  to  learn,  and  she  was  finally  able  to  make 
as  much  as  $8  a  week  at  the  end  of  a  couple  of  months.  Her  friends  had 
in  the  meantime  helped  her  out  with  a  few  needed  articles  of  clothing, 
and  she  had  50  cents  left  after  paying  board  and  room  and  car  fare  out 
of  the  $6  the  firm  had  given  her.  Then  work  began  to  get  slack,  and  be- 
came so  dull  that  she  did  not  get  enough  to  bring  her  even  the  $G 
a  week,  and  although  she  was  sorry  to  leave  the  place  where  she  felt 
they  had  taken  the  trouble  to  teach  her,  she  could  not  live  on  such  small 


474  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OP  INQUIRY  ON 

earnings.  Next  she  tried  to  learn  to  be  a  telephone  operator,  and  found 
that  her  eyes  would  not  stand  it,  so  she  wisely  decided  to  do  housework, 
at  least  until  business  conditions  improved.  She  obtained  a  place  in 
one  of  the  finest  homes,  where  she  was  sure  of  a  warm,  comfortable  and 
even  pretty  room,  and  the  best  of  food,  and  would  be  able  to  save  $5  or 
more  a  week  above  expenses. 

Bessie  is  a  little  girl  whose  mind  is  not  quite  normal.  She  has  a  very 
sad  life,  for  her  mother  is  dead,  and  her  sister  has  children  of  her  own, 
and  has  but  little  patience  with  Bessie  at  times.  She  becomes  so  de- 
spondent at  times  that  she  tried  to  kill  herself  at  the  factory.  She  is 
given  odd  tasks  about  the  work  room,  more  because  she  is  so  afraid  that 
her  sister  will  beat  her  if  she  is  sent  home,  than  because  the  factory 
needs  her. 

Nellie  is  17  years  old,  and  works  in  a  cigar  box  factory.  Nine  in  the 
family,  and  father  is  sick.  One  other  little  sister  has  just  started  to 
work,  and  their  earnings  are  the  sole  support  of  all.  She  gets  $7  a  week, 
average.  They  have  a  very  hard  time  to  get  along,  and  she  needs  eye 
treatment  badly.  She  sleeps  in  the  same  room  with  the  sick  father. 
They  have  only  two  bedrooms. 

There  is  the  case  of  Mrs.  B.,  a  German  woman,  who  was  deserted  by 
her  husband  five  years  ago,  and  was  left  with  six  children  to  support, 
and  an  $800  mortgage  on  the  home.  At  first  she  did  office  "cleaning. 
Four  years  ago  she  got  a  job  at  a  seed  house  mending  bags.  Now  she 
is  fore-lady  of  the  bag  department,  at  a  salary  of  $10  a  week.  Her  15- 
year-old  boy  has  a  place  as  office  boy,  and  a  daughter  of  18  is  at  home, 
and  takes  care  of  the  younger  children.  Mrs.  B.  has  kept  her  children 
together,  paid  her  taxes  and  interest  on  the  mortgage,  and  half  of  the 
amount  she  originally  owed  on  the  house.  She  has  no  amusement — 
has  never  been  to  a  show. 

Mrs.  K.,  61  years  old,  an  old-fashioned  German  woman,  has  scrubbed 
boxes  in  a  seed  house  for  24  years,  and  is  still  scrubbing  them  for  $7 
a  week.  Previous  to  this  she  did  housework.  She  has  an  invalid  brother 
who  depends  upon  her  for  support.  They  have  two  rooms,  for  which 
she  pays  $2.50  a  month,  and  their  food,  which  she  cooks  at  night  al'icr 
scrubbing  boxes  for  nine  and  three-quarters  hours,  during  the  day,  costs 
$12  a  month. 

Nellie  is  18  years  old,  and  works  in  a  5  and  10-cent  store  over  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  State.  She  started  with  $3  and  was  advanced  to 
$5  when  she  became  cashier.  She  was  not  satisfied  with  the  $5  and  left, 
but  the  merchant  sent  for  her,  and  is  now  paying  her  $6.50.  There  are 
no  seats  for  the  girls,  though  they  can  sit  on  the  boxes,  sometimes. 
Nellie  says  that  there  are  men  who  go  into  the  store  just  to  try  to  flirt 
with  the  girls. 

Kose  is  just  21.  She  has  worked  in  this  store  for  five  years.  She  was 
a  window  trimmer  for  a  while.  A  man  resigned,  and  she  took  his  place. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  475 

He  had  beeii  getting  $18  a  week,  and  she  was  paid  $7.50,  later  raised  to 
$8.  She  left,  but  was  taken  back  at  $10.  After  this  raise  a  new  man- 
ager came  in.  He  was  an  experienced  window  trimmer,  and  did  that 
work,  and  cut  Nellie's  pay  down  to  $6.  She  had  to  give  up  member- 
ship in  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  She  believes  in  going  to  church,  but  is  too  tired 
on  Sunday  to  go  now,  after  she  has  done  her  washing  and  ironing. 

No.  6611  is  a  laundry  worker,  a  widow,  41  years  old  and  of  American 
birth.  She  has  been  "working  out"  ever  since  she  was  eleven  years  old. 
For  the  last  seven  years  her  occupation  has  been  that  of  mangle  operator, 
and  her  remuneration  for  a  full  week's  work  amounts  to  $6.  To  the 
question  put  by  the  investigator  of  what  amount  she  devoted  on  an 
average  for  amusement,  she  made  the  rather  significant  reply: 
"Amusements?  Why  I  do  not  know  what  that  means.  I  have  all  I 
can  do  to  earn  enough  to  live  on.  I  never  go  out  evenings  except  when 
I  have  shopping  to  do.  Generally  I  am  too  tired  after  standing  on  my 
feet  all  day  feeding  the  mangle  at  the  laundry."  Incidentally,  she  said 
going  to  church  was  almost  not  to  be  thought  of,  since  her  work  at  home 
took  up  all  of  her  Sundays.  She  said  that  any  little  "economies" — 
and  these  were  very  little — were  made  at  a  sacrifice  of  actual  necessi- 
ties. 

Another  woman  following  the  same  occupation  had  perhaps  an  even 
more  difficult  existence.  This  woman  is  63  years  old  and  has  been  in 
service  one  year.  Her  husband,  who  is  helpless,  is  entirely  dependent 
upon  her.  This  couple  came  to  the  city  from  the  country,  where  farm 
work  had  proved  too  severe  for  the  "wage-earner"  of  the  household. 
The  couple  had  saved  a  small  amount  realized  from  chicken  raising,  and 
for  a  time,  a  gradual  drawing  upon  these  resources,  supplemented  by 
the  woman's  average  weekly  wage  of  $5.75  went  toward  their  mainte- 
nance. All  these  savings  have  now  practically  disappeared,  although 
their  possessions  still  include  some  farm  machinery,  which  it  is  esti- 
mated to  yield  about  $400  at  a  public  auction.  The  weekly  expense 
budget  is  made  up  as  follows:  Kental  of  one  room,  $2;  groceries,  $3 
to  $3.50.  The  woman  in  whose  house  they  room  permits  this  worker 
the  use  of  the  kitchen  stove.  Fortunately  for  them  they  have  not  had 
to  expend  much  on  new  clothing. 

Case  No.  6635  interviewed  is  also  a  laundry  worker.  This  woman  is 
of  Michigan  birth  and  now  31  years  old.  She  began  work  when  only 
14  years  of  age,  her  occupation  being  that  of  a  cook  in  a  lumber  camp, 
which  occupation  she  followed  for  five  years.  Her  husband  died  last 
year  leaving  her  as  a  "dowry"  nothing  but  debts  and  the  further  ob- 
ligation of  taking  care  of  four  children.  Two  of  these  she  has  with  her. 
This  woman  is  a  mangle  worker  and  as  such  earns  $6  for  a  full  week's 
work. 

Case  No.  6636  is.  a  laundry  worker  32  years  of  age.  She  was  born  in 
Michigan.  Her  husband  died  two  years  ago,  and  up  to  that  time  she 
had  never  been  obliged  to  "work  out."  For  two  years  immediately  fol- 
lowing her  husband's  death  she  did  housework.  Her  occasional  full 
week's  work  at  the  laundry  brings  her  a  compensation  of  $7.50,  but 


476  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

this  does  not  occur  often.  Her  "home"  consists  of  one  room  in  which 
she  does  light  housekeeping.  For  this  she  pays  $2  a  week,  and  the  meals 
cost  her  about  30  cents  a  day,  or  $2.10  a  week.  She  has  a  two-burner 
gas  plate  in  her  "home"  on  which  she  prepares  her  breakfast  and  sup- 
per in  her  room  when  fatigue  does  not  get  the  best  of  her  appetite. 
Her  breakfast  "menu"  consists  of  bread  and  butter  and  a  cup  of  coffee. 
For  the  sake  of  a  little  variety,  she  and  two  other  women  "club  in"  for 
the  noon-day  lunches,  which  are  cooked  at  the  laundry.  In  this  way 
these  lunches  cost  from  nine  to  fifteen  cents  and  permits  of  more  varie- 
ties. This  woman  has  two  children  and  they  have  been  placed  in  a  Home 
for  Children.  This  costs  her  a  dollar  a  week.  •  Besides,  she  has  to  buy 
their  clothes  and  school  books.  She  does  her  own  ironing  and  sewing  on 
her  "day  of  rest,"  consequently,  she  is  unable  to  go  to  church.  All  the 
clothes  she  has  had  for  over  a  year  were  given  her  by  a  friend  who  died. 
She  does  all  her  own  room  work,  laundering  and  sewing.  Her  Sundays 
are  taken  up  with  cleaning  her  home.  Moreover  she  feels  that  she  is 
too  tired  to  go  to  church. 

Hope  and  good  cheer  were  expressed  by  subject  No.  6641.  This  girl 
is  17  years  old  and  Michigan-born.  She  has  been  at  work  one  year, 
having  first  been  employed  in  a  corset  factory ;  but  work  gave  out  at  the 
end  of  a  month  and  she  then  took  employment  in  a  laundry.  For  a 
full  week's  work,  which  is  not  too  frequent,  she  receives  f 6.  This  girl 
lives  with  an  aunt  to  whom  she  pays  $3  for  her  room  and  board,  besides 
assisting  with  the  housework.  Her  aunt  is  not  strong,  accordingly  the 
washing  and  ironing  falls  to  this  girl's  lot.  She  does  the  washings 
Saturday  afternoons  and  the  ironing  on  Sunday  mornings.  This  girl 
told  the  investigator  that  she  had  heavy  dental  and  medical  bills  to 
pay.  Her  teeth,  moreover,  still  need  immediate  attention,  but  she  had 
no  money  for  this.  She  does  her  own  sewing  and  says  that  she  finds 
no  time  to  attend  church.  This  girl  told  the  investigator  that  she  oc- 
casionally attended  places  of  amusement  in  the  company  of  an  "awfully 
nice  young  fellow"  otherwise  she  would  not  be  able  to  do  so,  if  left  en- 
tirely on  her  own  resources. 

Case  No.  6665,  a  factory  worker,  was  a  particularly  sad  one.  This 
woman,  57  years  old,  was  born  in  the  United  States,  is  married  and 
her  husband  is  an  inmate  of  the  Soldiers'  Home.  As  for  herself  she 
cannot  be  admitted  as  long  as  she  is  able  to  work.  When  work  is 
plentiful,  her  earnings  run  from  $10  to  $12  a  week,  but  for  the  past 
six  months  her  remuneration  has  fallen  below  a  $6  weekly  average.  This 
woman  says  she  never  thinks  of  taking  a  vacation — this  she  thinks  she 
cannot  afford.  On  some  occasions,  however,  she  has  been  obliged  to 
do  so  through  illness.  This  woman  lives  with  relatives  to  whom  she 
pays  $3  a  week  for  her  maintenance  and  also  assists  in  the  housework. 
She  does  her  own  sewing.  She  says  that  she  usually  gets  up  between 
2  and  3  A.  M.,  on  Mondays  and  does  the  washing  before  going  to  work. 
She  does  not  often  find  time  to  attend  church.  About  the  only  pleasure 
she  gets  is  from  visiting  her  mother,  a  woman  well  past  fourscore  years. 

Another  case  reported  on  is  that  of  a  woman  50  years  of  age,  also 
claiming  Michigan  as  her  native  State.  This  woman  had  never  "worked 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  477 

out"  until  two  rears  ago  when  living  expenses  look  such  an  "altitudin- 
ous"  direction  tliat  her  husband,  who  is  regularly  employed  at  a  weekly 
wage  of  fll,  found  it  absolutely  impossible,  to  meet  expenses  without 
her  assistance.  This  woman  is  employed  on  piece-work  system  and  earns 
s7  a  week,  when  work  is  plentiful.  Her  earnings  the  week  preceding  the 
investigator's  visit  amounted  to  $4.50  only.  This  couple  rent  a  house, 
Tor  which  they  pay  $10  a  month.  The  woman  does  her  own  housework; 
often  sewing  in  the  evening  after  working  hard  all  day.  There  are  two 
children.  "I  wear  my  clothes  as  long  as  they  will  hang  on,"  was  a 
significant  parting  secret  she  disclosed  to  the  investigator. 

Another  person  who  was  interviewed  by  one  of  the  Commission's  in- 
vestigators proved  to  be  a  young  girl  of  American  birth  and  11)  years  of 
age.  She  first  began  to  work  five  years  ago.  Her  period  of  service  at 
this  factory  goes  back  three  years.  She  is  a  piece-worker  and  usually 
receives  $3.SO  for  a  week's  work.  She  lives  with  her  mother  and  con- 
Iributes  $2  per  week  of  her  wages  to  the  household  exchequer.  She 
confided  this  to  the  investigator:  "I  didn't  pay  board  all  last  year  as 
I  didn't  make  enough.  My  married  brother  helps  support  mother  and 
me.  I  do  not  make  enough  to  save  anything  at  all." 

Another  person,  who  came  under  the  attention  of  the  investigator,  is 
an  American  and  a  factory  worker  54  years  old.  This  woman  has  had  to 
"shift"  for  herself  ever  since  she  was  eight  years  old.  She  is  separated 
from  her  husband.  This  woman  is  a  piece-worker  in  a  factory  and  has 
an  average  weekly  wage  of  |4.  She  lost  three  months  last  year  through 
illness.  She  explained  her  circumstances  in  these  words:  "I  have  two 
small  rooms  where  I  get  my  own  meals  and  do  my  sewing.  I  can't 
afford  to  have  many  clothes  as  I  have  poor  health,  and  it  takes  so  much 
for  medicine." 

Still  another  person  interviewed  is  a  factory  worker,  also  of  American 
birth.  She  first  went  to  work  in  her  thirteenth  year  and  is  now  IS1/-* 
years  old.  She  is  separated  from  her  husband.  Their  child  is  being 
taken  care  of  by  the  husband's  father.  This  woman  has  been  working 
for  five  months  and  receives  $5  a  week.  IJoom  and  board  cost  her  |6  ^ 
week,  her  father  making  up  the  deficit.  She  is  forced  to  get  all  her 
clothes  on  credit. 

Another  factory  worker,  American-born  and  but  10  years  old,  told 
the  investigator  she  had  been  working  since  she  was  15  years  old.  Her 
weekly  wage  is  Sr»  and  of  this  amount  she  has  to  pay  $4  for  her  room 
and  board  and  50  cents  for  her  laundry.  She  and  a  sister  contribute 
to  the  support  of  their  younger  sister;  the  mother  who  does  washing, 
adds  her  mite.  This  girl  proffered  this  opinion:  "I  think  a  girl  should 
receive  $10  a  week." 

Another  factory  worker,  .">.">  years  old,  a  widow,  receives  f5  to  $(J  a 
week  wages  after  two  years'  service.  She  formerly  did  dressmaking  at 
home.  She  rents  two  rooms  and  does  light  housekeeping.  She  pays 
£1.50  a  week  for  the  rooms  and  says  her  grocery  bill  is  usually  a  like 
amount.  She  does  her  own  work  after  hours.  She  is  not  strong,  and 


478  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION   OF  INQUIRY   ON 

lias  been  forced  to  receive  doctor's  care.     "I  have  a  hard  time  to  keep 
even,"  is  the  way  in  which  she  describes  her  lot. 

One  factory  worker,  43  years  old,  claiming  Michigan  as  the  place  of 
her  birth,  declared  she  first  began  work  when  but  thirteen  years  old. 
She  has  had  one  year's  experience  at  her  present  occupation,  and  now 
receives  $6  a  week.  She  has  a  daughter  who  assists  in  her  upkeep  and 
explains  that  she  could  not  get  along,  but  for  the  assistance  she  receives 
from  well-to-do  acquaintances  and  from  charity.  "I  am  afraid  that  a 
minimum  wage  will  hurt  the  slow  workers  who  would  be  deserving,  but 
not  worth  as  much,"  was  the  opinion  she  ventured.  "I  believe  running  a 
machine  too  many  liours  injures  the  health  and  makes  future  generations 
weaker,  besides  making  childbirth  more  dangerous." 

A  factory  worker,  31  years  old,  American-born,  married  and  having 
a  baby  seven  months  old  was  found.  This  woman  has  had  two  months' 
experience  at  her  present  work,  for  which  her  compensation  is  $5.40  a 
week.  Her  husband,  a  common  laborer,  none  too  ambitious,  works  at 
intermittent  periods.  This  woman  rents  two  rooms  at  $2.85  a  week. 
Her  groceries  cost  her  |3  a  week  and  fuel  about  50  cents  more.  She 
pays  a  neighbor  $1  a  week  to  care  for  her  child  during  working  hours. 
This  woman  was  obliged  to  seek  work  as  soon  as  she  was  able  to  accept 
employment  following  the  birth  of  her  child. 

Another  American-born  laundry  worker,  who  came  under  observation, 
claimed  she  was  3G  years  old,  but  really  appeared  to  be  40.  She  said 
that  her  mother  was  left  a  wTidow,  while  she  was  still  but  a  baby.  Her 
mother  was  then  forced  to  take  in  washings  to  eke  out  an  existence. 
She  had  assisted  the  mother  from  the  time  that  she  was  eight  years  old 
and  by  standing  on  a  bench  could  bend  over  the  wash  tub.  This  woman 
is  married  and  has  a  little  daughter.  For  years,  her  husband  was  ad- 
dicted to  the  liquor  habit,  and  she  was  forced  to  keep  up  the  home.  The 
father  has  since  stopped  drinking  and  is  now  in  steady  employment  and 
earns  a  good  salary.  They  are  now  paying  for  their  home  and  when 
this  is  accomplished  it  is  not  her  purpose  to  work  out  any  longer.  She 
never  pursued  her  school  studies  beyond  the  third  grade,  but  intends 
that  her  daughter  shall  have  the  advantage  of  a  good  education. 

The  visits  through  the  laundries  brought  another  interesting  case  in 
a  26-year-old  worker,  American-born,  and  working  since  her  fifteenth 
year.  This-  woman  is  not  living  with  her  husband.  She  has  a  daughter 
six  years  old  -dependent  upon  her.  She  has  been  employed  at  her  present 
work  two  years  and  her  remuneration  is  $6  for  five  and  one-half  days' 
work.  She  makes  her  home  with  her  brother  and  pays  him  $2.50  a  week 
for  herself  and  child.  The  court  directed  her  husband  to  pay  her  $4 
a  month  toward  the  maintenance  of  the  child.  This  woman  told  the 
investigator  that  to  save  car  fare  she  walked  one  and  one-half  miles  to 
her  work  twice  daily.  She  does  her  own  sewing  as  well  as  that  for  her 
little  daughter.  The  woman  told  of  having  just  bought  a  coat  for  $8.50 
at  an  installment  house.  She  paid  $2  down  and  is  paying  $1.  a  week. 
She  says  she  is  forced  to  purchase  all  her  clothes  on  the  installment 
plan.  She  ventured  that  a  $15  doctor  bill  was  causing  her  some  worry. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  479 

Another  factory  worker  to  come  under  observation  was  a  Canadian- 
horn  woman,  48. years  old,  who  followed  the  calling  of  dressmaking  for 
27  years.  She  is  a  piece-worker  with  five  years'  experience,  for  which 
she  earns  |6  to  |6.50  a  week,  when  work  is  plentiful.  For  the  week 
preceding  the  investigator's  visit,  she  had  received  but  $4.50.  She  has 
heen  working  on  piece-work  only  six  weeks;  her  previous  average  wage 
for  two  years,  was  $5.57  a  week.  This  woman  lives  with  her  father, 
who  is  over  80  years  old,  and  she  has  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  house- 
hold. They  own  the  house  which  shelters  them.  She  says  she  cannot 
Milord  to  take  a  vacation.  All  of  the  housework  and  sewing  falls  on  her, 
and  which  she  must  do  after  working  hours.  She  says  that  she  makes 
her  clothes  over  and  over  just  as  long  as  the  material  will  hold  to- 
gether. 

One  factory  worker  of  17,  claiming  Michigan  as  the  place  of  her  birth, 
receives  $3.24  for  a  full  week's  work  of  54  hours.  For  the  week  immedi- 
ately preceding  the  interview  with  the  investigator  she  received  but  $2.89. 
Her  fellow  employes  spoke  of  her  rosy  cheeks,  when  she  first  secured  em- 
ployment. The  bloom  has  long  since  left  her  cheeks.  She  says  she  can- 
not afford  to  take  a  much  needed  rest.  This  girl  lives  at  home  and  gives 
up  her  entire  earnings  toward  the  support  of  the  household.  There  are 
five  in  the  family.  "Mother,"  she  says,  "gives  me  back  25  cents  and  oc- 
casionally 50  cents  each  week  to  spend." 

The  cases  of  two  young  Polish  girls,  are  deemed  worthy  of  passing 
attention.  One  of  these,  17  years  of  age,  had  been  working  at  the  factory 
for  about  eight  weeks;  previously,  she  had  been  employed  in  a  bean  ele- 
vator about  two  years.  She  now  works  by  the  hour  and  receives  $2.73 
for  a  full  week's  work.  To  even  think  of  a  vacation,  she  says,  is  out  of  the 
question,  as  she  is  forced  to  give  all  her  earnings  to  her  mother.  Her 
fa  I  her  is  dead,  and  there  are  eight  children  in  the  family  of  whom  seven 
are  girls.  The  ages  of  the  other  children  vary  from  13  down  to  four 
years  old.  As  if  their  lot  was  not  a  hard  enough  one,  their  home 
burned  down  about  six  weeks  ago  and  they  did  not  save  a  solitary 
thing  from  the  fire.  Relatives  helped  them  start  housekeeping  anew 
I  iy  contributing  odd  pieces  of  furniture.  The  other  girl  is  of  Polish- 
<  !<'rman  parentage  and  17  years  of  age.  This  girl  has  been  at  work  at 
this  factory  about  a  year.  Her  weekly  earnings  amount  to  $3.24  when 
employed  full  time.  For  the  week  immediately  preceding  the  interview 
with  the  investigator  she  received  $2.93.  She  told  the  investigator  that 
she  could  not  afford  to  take  a  vacation  as  she  was  in  too  great  need 
of  the  money.  This  girl  gives  her  entire  earnings  each  week,  as  there 
are  seven  children  to  be  fed  and  clothed.  "Mother  does  not  give  me 
any  of  my  money  back,"  she  said,  "I  would  like  a  little  to  spend,  but 
mother  says  she  needs  it  all.  Father  works  at  the  shipyards  earning 
XL*  a  day.  He  can't  work  when  it  rains.  As  for  myself,  I  bring  my 
lunch  to  work  and  have  a  cup  of  hot  coffee  with  it.  This  costs  me  six 
cents  a  week.  I  live  20  blocks  from  the  factory  and  when  I  set  out  to 
work  in  the  mornings  in  the  winter  it  is  awfully  dark." 

Case.  Xo.  0070  is  thai  of  a  woman  50  years  old,  who  was  horn  in 
England.  She  went  to  work  at  13  and  was  employed  iu  a  corset  fac- 


480  REPORT  OP  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 

lory  for  17  years.  She  earns  |5  for  a  full  week's  work,  but  conditions 
jm>  such  that  she  works  only  three  or  four  hours  each  day  now.  Bus- 
iness has  been  unusually  bad  for  some  time.  Her  earnings  for  the 
week  preceding  the  investigator's  visit  amounted  to  $2.50.  Work  has 
been  scarce  for  five  or  six  mouths.  She  has  saved  enough  money  for 
her  funeral  expenses  and  rather  than  make  any  inroads  upon  this  fund 
during  the  dull  period,  she  is  working  for  her  room  and  board.  She 
avers  that  the  slack  work  makes  her  very  nervous. 

One  factory  worker  of  Canadian  birth  is  59  years  of  age  and  has 
been  working  since  her  thirteenth  year.  She  has  been  employed  at  this 
factory  for  four  years.  Her  compensation  is  $5.40  for  54  hours'  work. 
The  week  previous  to  the  investigator's  visit  she  earned  $3.40.  She 
cannot  afford  a  vacation,  she  avers.  She  bought  a  six-room  house  which 
she  pays  for  at  the  rate  of  $8  a  month.  "I  have  to  pay  that  whether 
I  eat  or  not,"  she  told  her  investigator.  "Wages  are  so  low  that  I 
have  to  work  at  times  when  I  should  be  in  bed.  My  teeth  need  imme- 
diate attention,  but  I  cannot  get  enough  ahead  for  that  purpose." 

One  factory  worker,  also  of  Canadian  birth,  60  years  old,  had  never 
worked  out  until  four  years  ago  when  her  husband  suffered  a  stroke 
of  paralysis  which  left  him  entirely  helpless.  She  receives  $4.86  for  a 
full  week's  work.  For  the  week  preceding  the  investigator's  visit  she 
received  $3.56.  She  rents  a  house  for  which  she  pays  $8  a  month.  "It 
takes  all  I  earn  to  exist,"  she  ventured  to  the  investigator.  "I  cannot 
have  any  new  clothes.  I  make  my  old  ones  over  just  so  long  as  they 
will  hold  together." 

Among  the  store  employes  visited  there  was  a  little  girl,  18  years  of 
age,  whose  home  was  in  a  small  town,  and  who  had  never  before  been 
away  from  the  parental  roof.  In  her  home  town,  she  did  office  work 
but  her  opportunities  for  development  were  limited.  Accordingly,  being 
ambitious,  she  obtained  permission  to  go  to  a  larger  city  where  she 
might  work  during  the  day  and  have  the  advantages  of  the  .night 
schools  for  the  study  of  shorthand  and  typewriting.  This  young  girl 
has  been  doing  office  work  in  this  store  for  nearly  two  years  and  re 
ceives  $6  as  her  weekly  wage.  She  rents  a  room  with  friends  for  which 
she  pays  $1.50  a  week.  She  dispenses  with  her  breakfast.  For  her  din- 
ner, she  waits  table  at  the  Y.  W.  C.  A.  Her  suppers  cost  her  $1  a  week. 
"On  the  Saturday  mornings  that  I  do  not  have  to  go  to  work  until  9 
o'clock  I  get  up  early  and  do  my  laundry  work,"  said  she.  "The  woman 
where  I  room  lets  me  use  the  kitchen  for  that  purpose.  Mother  has  had 
to  help  me  out  with  my  clothes." 

Frances,  a  Polish  girl  has  worked  a  few  months  and  was  found  steal- 
ing lunches.  Upon  investigation  it  was  found  that  she  was  sending 
the  greater  part  of  her  earnings  to  her  parents  in  Poland,  and  living 
in  the  direst  poverty.  She  occupied  a  room  with  several  others, — hav- 
ing an  old  feather  bed  for  a  covering.  She  spent  about  sixty  cents  a 
Nveek  for  food. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  I  SI 

Mary  and  a  cbuin  came  from  Kussia  and  worked  in  a  garment  fac- 
tory for  |5  a  week.  Her  chum  contracted  tuberculosis  in  the  steerage 
on  her  way  over,  and  worked  but  a  few  months.  Mary  fainted  from 
lack  of  food,  and  it  was  found  that  she  was  spending  her  money  for 
fruit  and  medicine  for  her  chum,  who  died  shortly  afterward. 

Lena — 21  years,  has  worked  in  a  garment  factory  since  she  was  1-t — 
where  an  older  sister  also  works.  Her  mother  died  recently,  and  left 
a  little  home  partly  paid  for.  The  girls  do  the  housework  at  night 
and  cannot  afford  any  pleasures.  The  doctor  says  Lena  needs  a  vaca- 
tion, but  she  is  unable  to  take  one  and  keep  up  payments  on  the  home. 

Tillie,  born  with  only  one  hand,  has  worked  since  she  was  10.  Her 
mother  died  when  she  was  eight  and  father  married  a  woman  with 
eight  children.  The  stepmother  abused  her  and  compelled  her  to  leave 
home.  She  does  all  her  own  sewing  and  laundry  work  evenings. 

A  little  girl,  15  years  of  age,  of  Polish  parentage,  is  bearing  the 
burden  of  the  support  of  a  family  numbering  six.  Her  father,  a  man 
of  60  and  ill  part  of  the  time,  works  odd  days  in  a  lumber  yard.  The 
brother  was  run  over  by  a  motor  truck,  and  has  not  been  able  to  work 
for  a  year.  Three  months  ago  this  girl  was  taken  from  week  work  of  label- 
ing, and  put  on  piece-work  of  wrapping  plug  tobacco.  She  is  able  to 
make  $8  a  week  now,  and  last  week  her  pay  envelope  contained  f  10.25. 
She  was  very  proud  that  she  beat  her  father  by  $2  in  their  weekly  earn- 
ings. 

An  18  year  old  girl,  of  Polish  descent,  who  receives  |5.50  a  week  for 
putting  bags  on  a  tobacco  filling  machine  is  supporting  a  tubercular 
mother.  They  pay  $2.50  a  month  for  one  unfurnished  room  and 
their  food  costs  $12.  They  have  no  one  to  help  them,  and  whenever  the 
factory  closes  for  inventory  or  a  holiday  the  mother  weeps  because 
of  the  dollar  or  two  less  in  the  next  pay  envelope. 

A  little  Scotch  woman  of  54  years  labels  boxes  all  day  for  $6.50  a 
week,  after  13  years  with  the  same  firm.  She  is  quite  alone  in  the 
world,  and  has  no  one  to  turn  to  if  ill  or  unable  to  work.  Out  of  her 
wages  of  $6.50  a  week  it  costs  her  $3.50  for  room  and  food  which  she 
cooks  herself.  She  has  no  money  for  amusements,  and  after  paying 
doctor's  bills,  is  able  to  save  only  about  $15  a  year. 
61 


APPENDIX   BB. 


MISCELLANEOUS  INFORMATION. 


EXPENSES  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

(From  November  16,  1913  to  January  15,  1915.) 

Traveling  expenses   of  the  Commissioners $373  09 

Salary   of   Secretary    1,510  48 

Traveling  expenses  of  Secretary 251  17 

Salaries  of  investigators   (6  employes) 2,520  43 

Traveling  expenses  of  investigators  (6  employes) 526  48 

Salaries  of  the  office  employes   (6  employes).. • 1,721  01 

Stenographers'  services    86  70 

Office  equipment  and  supplies 195  31 

Typewriter    87  08 

Postage    (including  post-office  box  rent) 193  00 

Express 17  64 

Telegrams    , 1  60 


$7,483  99 
OCCUPATION    AND    IMMORALITY. 

The  following  maternity  table  is  taken  from  the  report  of  the  Social 
Service  Committee  of  one  of  the  largest  hospitals  for  women  in  the  State. 
It  shows  occupation  at  time  of  admission. 

Domestic 92 

Factory  worker 26 

Housewife    

Office    , 15 

Waitress 

Telephone   operator    

Living  at  home 

Saleswoman    

Schoolgirl    5 

Vaudeville    

Teacher    

Tailoress    2 


200 

Of  the  above  inmates,  the  18  rated  as  "Housewife"  were  married 
women,  the  rest  were  unmarried  girls. 

While  in  a  large  percentage  of  the  cases  of  girls  in  domestic  service, 
their  trouble  may  be  traced  to  improper  companions  and  places  of  amuse- 
ment, it  is  surprising  to  those  in  charge  of  this  branch  of  charitable 
work  how  many  times  the  trouble  is  due  to  the  man  in  the  house,  in 
which  the  girl  is  employed. 


MINIMUM  WAGE  LEGISLATION  FOR  WOMEN.  483 

THE  WOMAN'S  HOTEL. 

In  talking  with  the  superintendent  of  the  new  Priscilla  Inn  for  work- 
ing girls,  in  Detroit,  the  advantages  of  conducting  all  kinds  of  housing 
accommodations  on  purely  business  principles  was  brought  out.  The 
average  rooming  or  boarding  housekeeper  has  to  charge  enough  for 
rooms  to  pay  for  the  loss  occasioned  by  tenants  who  leave  unpaid  bills. 
Because  all  bills  are  paid  in  advance,  the  Inn  can  give  the  best  kind  of 
accommodations  at  the  lowest  possible  price. 

Any  girl,  under  30  years  of  age,  and  earning  not  over  $15  per  week, 
can  have  in  the  Priscilla  Inn  a  room  by  herself,  breakfast  and  evening 
dinner,  for  $5  per  week.  Same,  with  one  roommate,  $4.50,  and  with 
three  in  room,  $4.  This  includes  the  use  of  baths,  laundry,  sewing 
room,  and  extensive  parlors.  The  rooms  are  steam  heated.  The  build- 
ing is  modern  and  new.  It  is  in  a  good  neighborhood.  The  manage- 
ment has  not  lost  a  cent  since  opening,  and  there  are  no  vacant  rooms. 
Is  there  not  a  good  field  for  other  hotels  of  a  similar  nature? 

The  Inn  is  patronized  by  store  and  office  employes;  so  far  no  fac- 
tory workers  have  applied  for  admission.  Older  women  feel  the  need 
of  a  similar  place  where  the  younger,  gayer  girls  would  not  be  admitted. 

OCCUPATION   OF    WOMEN   ATTENDING   DETROIT   EVENING    SCHOOLS. 

Templeton  P.  Twiggs,  Supervisor  of  the  Detroit  Evening  Schools, 
sends  the  Commission  the  following  report  on  Occupation  of  women 
attending  the  Detroit  Evening  Schools,  during  the  year  1913-1914: 

General  office  clerks 367 

"At  home"    (including  married  women) 260 

Stenographers    179 

Clerks-stores    162 

Factories    113 

Telephone  operators   79 

Teachers    66 

Domestic   service 64 

Dressmaking 46 

Musicians    5 

Nurses    6 

Milliners    4 

Artists 4 

Hairdressers    2 

Total    1,357 

THE    WAGE^EARNER    AND    CHRISTMAS. 

The  amount  spent  for  Christmas  presents  happened  to  be  mentioned 
during  one  or  two  interviews  with  girls,  and  the  sums  seemed  so  large 
that  one  of  the  Commission's  investigators  asked  particularly  about 
this  item  afterwards,  just  to  see  if  many  of  the  girls  were  so  generous 
to  family  and  friends.  No  table  has  been  made  of  the  answers,  but  it 
is  safe  to  say  that  in  a  large  proportion  of  the  answers  the  amount 
said  to  have  been  spent  for  Christmas  will  equal  the  month's  earnings 
up  to  the  pay  before  the  holiday.  Beside  this,  many  of  the  girls  re- 
ported that  they  embroidered  things  during  the  year  for  Christmas 
gifts.  Very  few  who  were  asked,  reported  giving  no  presents.  Girls 


484  REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY. 

receiving  between  |6  and  $9  a  week  reported  giving  as  high  as  $15  to 
$25  or  more  for  presents. 

RESULT    OP    ONE    BONUS    SCHEME. 

Early  in  the  present  year  a  Detroit  factory  tried  a  bonus  scheme, 
in  the  endeavor  to  induce  the  girls  to  do  more  wTork.  It  was  calculated 
on  the  amount  they  had  earned  during  the  preceding  four  weeks.  The 
notice  read: 

To  every  waist  operator  who  has  earned  between 

$24.00  and  $27.99  a  bonus  of    6%  amounting  to $1.44  to  $1.67 

28.00  and    31.99  a  bonus  of    7%  amounting  to 1.96  to    2.23 

32.00  and    35.99  a  bonus  of    8%  amounting  to 2.56  to    2.87 

36.00  and    39.99  a  bonus  of    9%  amounting  to 3.24  to    3.59 

40.00  and    43.99  a  bonus  of  10%  amounting  to 4.00  to    4.39 

44.00  and    47.99  a  bonus  of  11%  amounting  to 4.80  to    5.27 

48.00  and    51.99  a  bonus  of  12%  amounting  to 5.76  to    6.23 

and  to  every  waist  operator  whose  earnings  for  the  period  are  in  ex- 
cess of  $51.99  a  bonus  of  12%  on  the  amount  no  matter  what  it  may 
be. 

We  believe  that  at  the  prices  we  are  now  paying  our  waist  operators 
every  girl  who  is  anxious  to  earn  money  and  will  attend  strictly  to 
business,  can  earn  at  least  $10  per  week,  and  in  order  to  encourage 
our  waist  operators  to  become  efficient  we  are  willing  to  add  $4  or 
over  every  four  weeks  to  the  wages  of  every  girl  who  can  do  so. 
To  encourage  girls  to  earn  even  more  than  this  we  are  offering 
larger  bonuses  as  above. 

As  a  result  of  this  offer,  out  of  the  500  girls  who  might  have  re- 
ceived a  bonus,  164  only  were  financially  benefitted;  336  earned  less 
than  |24  in  the  four  weeks;  that  is,  less  than  a  dollar  a  day. 

The  smallest  bonus  paid  was  f  1.45,  the  largest,  $6.57 ;  and  24  received 
between  $4  and  $6.57.  The  total  amount  paid  out  in  bonuses  for  the 
month  was  $476. 

When  the  announcement  of  a  bonus  was  made,  it  fell  on  indifferent 
or  distrustful  ears.  Some  of  the  girls  believed  it  would  be  the  means 
of  reducing  piece  prices,  thus  actually  in  the  end  lowering  wages. 

After  a  short  trial,  the  system  was  discontinued,  the  firm  decid- 
ing that  the  better  plan  would  be  to  subdivide  the  work  into  more 
operations  than  formerly.  This  change  seemed  to  be  more  satisfactory 
to  all. 


APPENDIX    CC. 

COMMISSION    OF    INQUIRY    BLANKS    USED    IN    COLLECTING 
THE    INFORMATION   CONTAINED    IN   THIS    REPORT. 

BLANK    SENT    TO    ESTABLISHMENTS    EMPLOYING    TEN    OR    MORE    WOMEN    WAGE- 
EARNERS. 

JUOSON  CRENELL.  CHA.RMAN.  WATCftnwo 
CHARLES  S.  BEADLE.  4  McORAW  BUM..  OCTIXXT 
MTRON  M    WALKER.  HOUMMM   BLCO  .  on«w»  RAPID* 

COMMISSIONERS 
LUELLA   M.    BURTON.   SECMTARY 

MICHIGAN    STATE    COMMISSION    OF   INQUIRY 

INTO  WAGES  AND  CONDITIONS  OF  LABOR  FOR  WOMEN  AND  THE 
ADVISABILITY  OF  ESTABLISHING  A  MINIMUM  WAGE 

The  CommlMlon   I.  making  »  ttadjr  of  w»e»«.  Condition*  of  Labor  and  Cost  ol  Living,  and  It  to  report  opon  the  »<Jvl»»Mllty  of  • 

Minimum  Wage  for  Women. 
ItaihBjonr  help  In  getting  the  following  Information.    Fleaie  aoiwer  qnettlon*  accurately.    All    name,  will  be  Kept  In  »trltt 


Each  employer  receiving  this  form  It  requested  to  fill  out  and  forward  to  the  Commission  of  Inquiry,  Capitol  Build- 
Ing,  Senat*  Room  J,  Lansing,  Michigan,  at  the  earliest  moment  possible. 

Name  «f  your  firm _ - _ 

Town  and  County  where  located. __ 

What  is  nature  of  the  business  your  firm  conducts? - _ 

What  is  average  number  of  women  daily  in  your  employ?. _ _ - 

How  many  work  by  the  monthT _.... week? _ day? hour? piece? 

How  many  receive  less  than  $2.99  per  week? 

How  many  receive  more  than  $2.99  and  lea.  than  $3.99  per  week? _ 

How  many  receive  more  than  $3.99  and  lets  than  $4.09  per  week? _ _ 

How  maey  receive  more  than  $4.99  and  less  than  $5.99  per  week? _ „ 

I   .w  many  receive  more  than  $5.99  and  less  than  $6.99  per  week? 

How  many  receive  more  than  $6.99  and  leas  than  $7.99  per  wee';? __ - 

How  many  receive  more  than  $7.99  and  less  than  $8.99  per  week? _ 

How  many  receive  more  than  $8.99  and  less  than  $9.99  per  week? : 

How  many  receive  more  than  $9.99  and  less  than  $10.99  per  week? 

How  many  receive  more  than  $10.99  and  less  than  $11.99  per  week? _ _ - 

How  many  receive  more  than  $11.99  and  less  than  $12.99  per  week? 

How  many  receive  more  than  $12.99  and  less  than  $13.99  per  week?... ._ _ 

How  many  receive  more  than  $13.99  and  less  than  $14.99  per  week? — _ 

How  many  receive  more  than  $14.99  per  week? 

Give  the  least  number  of  hours  any  woman  employe  works  per  day '.. 

Give  the  greatest  number  of.hours  any  woman  employe  works  per  day _ _ ~ 

How  many  hours  do  your  women  employes  average  per  day? 

How  many  days'  work  do  they  average  per  month? 

How  many  months  in  the  year  do  they  have  work? _ ..._ 

Number  of  girb  in  your  employ  under  sixteen  years  of  age? 

What  is  the  average  weekly  wage  paid  them? 

Name _ Address 

i  as  to  whether  a  minimum  wage  for  women  is  practicable  in  your  business.     Please  give  reasons^— _ 


Norn— This  Commission  is  appointed  by  the  Governor  under  Act  290  of  the  Public  Acts  of  1913,  and  is  required  to  report  to  the 
Legislature  setting  forth  a  comprehensive  plan  and  recommending  legislative  action.  The  Commiaion  is  authorized  to  require  the 
production  of  books  and  papers  relating  to  the  subject  and  summon  witnesses  and.  administer  oaths. 

If  you  will  kindly  execute  the  attached  affidavit  it  may  wve  unnecessary  expense  and  further  inquiry. 

STATE  OF  MICHIGAN  | 

County  of _ _  |* 

_ _ _ being  duly  sworn  says:    I  am  _ of  the  shore 

named  firm  and  the  answers  given  in  the  above  statement  arc  true  and  accurate  to  mr  best  knowledge,  information  and  belief;  and 
further  that  the  statwnent  of  the  wagtt  paid  above  set  forth  is  taken  from  the  payroll  of  ami  Sam  for  a  fair  average  week;  namely 

the  week  ending. _ day  of „ 191 

(Signature) ___ : 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this... _ day  of 191 


Notary  Public  (or  Justice  of  the  Peace) _. :County,  Michigan. 

My  Comoiiseion  expires. 


REPORT  OF  COMMISSION  OF  INQUIRY  ON 


—       >> 

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MICHIGAN  STATE  COMMISSION  OF   INQUIRY 

INTO  WAGES  AND  CONDITIONS  or  LABOR  FOR  WOMEN 
JUOSON  CRENELL  AND  THE  ADVISABILITY  OF  ESTABLISHING 

A  MINIMUM  WAGE 
CHARLES  S.  BEADLE 

4   MCCRAW   •  LOO..  DITROIT 
MYRON   H     WALKER  = 


301IMAN  BLDC..  GUANO  RA.IDJ 

COMMISSIONERS  CAPITOL  BUILC 


THE    COST    OF    LIVING 
Michigan— 1914. 

No Date 1914. 

Name  of   Club ~ — «—.-. _— . -.. — 

Number  of  Members Locality 

This   Club  considers  that  a  wage  of  $. _ per  week  is  the  least  adequate  amount  for  the 

necessary  cost  of  living  of  a  wage  working  woman  to  maintain  her  in  health  at  this  time.     Number  of  members 
concurring 

The  items  going  to  make  this  amount  are  about  as  follows:  Per  week.  Per  year. 


Board,  including  room  and  meals 

$   - 

$ 

Laundry 

-      -                                        $ 

$ 

Clothes,  including  underwear 

% 

$ 

Hats  

$ 

$ 

Shoes 

$ 

$ 

Churches,  charity  and  societies 

1 

$ 

Amusements  and   recreations  r  

$ 

$  

Books,  newspapers,  magazines 

_     .                       .                                $ 

$ 

Doctors  and  dentisfs  (probable  cost) 

$ 

$ 

Street  car  fare  ,   _  ......  .....                 .  . 

$  

-  -....     $  - 

Other  incidentals  (state  what    this  includes) 

President Secretary 


INDEX 


Page 

Act  authorizing  State  Commission  of  Inquiry 

"Adrift"   women   wage-earners,   definition   of   term 

"Adrift"    women   wage-earners,    how    housed 

Advancement,   opportunities   for    106 

Ages  and  wages  of  8,358   Michigan   wage-earning   women   interrogated 32-33 

Amusements,  cost  of   95 

Annual  pay  roll  figures 

Appendices   A   to   CC 187-489 

A — Round  table  discussion  of  the  minimum  wage  by  representatives  of  Michi- 
gan colleges   189-228 

B. — Public  meeting  held  in  Detroit  to  discuss  the  minimum   wage 229-247 

C. — Public  meeting  held  in  Grand  Rapids  to  discuss  the  minimum  wage 248-279 

D. — Public  meeting  held  in  Saginaw  to  discuss  the  minimum  wage 280-289 

E. — Meeting  of  the  Michigan   Laundrymen's  Association   held   in   Bay   City....  290-296 

F. — Official  opinions  of  organized  labor  on  the  minimum  wage 297-304 

G. — Opinions  of  employers  on   the   practicability   of   a   minimum   wage 305-317 

II. — Condensation  of  an  investigation  held  by  the  Federal  Government  on  women 

and  child  wage-earners  in  the  United  States 318-328 

I. — Conditions  in  the  Michigan  canning  industry 

J. — Florence  Kelley  on  minimum  wage  legislation   for  women 

K. — The  need  for  vocational  education 344-357 

L. — Investigation   of    candy   making   industry 358-362 

M. — Investigation  of  core  making  industry 363-365 

N. — Investigation    of    corset    industry 366-374 

O. — Investigation  of  hosiery  and  knit  goods  industry 375-379 

P. — Investigation    of    laundries 380-386 

Q. — Investigation   of  overall   industry 387-389 

R. — Investigation   of  paper  and   cigar  box   industries 390-393 

S. — Investigation  of  seed  packing  industry 394-396 

T. — Investigation  of  store  conditions 397-406 

U. — Investigation  of  working  conditions  in  telephone  exchanges 407-421 

V. — Investigation   of   cigar   and   tobacco   industries 422-434 

W. — Investigation    of   women's   garment    industries 435-450 

X. — Working  conditions  in  the  upper  part  of  the  lower  peninsula 451-455 

Y. — Working   conditions   in   the   upper   peninsula 456-459 

Z. — The  problem  of  rooming  conditions  confronting  the  women  "adrift". 460-470 

AA. — Little  stories  of  heart  interest  told  to  the  Commission's  investigators....  471-481 

BB. — Miscellaneous   information    482-484 

CC. — Samples  of  blanks  used  by  the  Commission  in  obtaining  information 485-489 

Blanks,  samples  of,  used  by  Commission  in  obtaining  information 485-489 

Candy   industry,   investigation   of 358-362 

Canning  industry,   conditions  in,   investigation   of 329-336 

Car  fares,  cost  of 97 

Church   and   charity,   cost  of 99 

Cigar  and  tobacco  industries,   investigation   of 422-434 

Cigar  box  industry,   investigation  of 391-393 

Clothes,    cost   of 93-94 

Clothes,    itemized    expenditures    for 133-138 

Club  women,  Michigan,  what  they  consider  a  proper  minimum  wage  for  self-support- 
ing women    158-161 

Commission   of   Inquiry,   members  of 3 

Core  making  industry,   investigation   of 363-365 

Corset  industry,   investigation   of . 366-374 

Cost  of  living   93-101 

Court  decisions  on   minimum   wage  legislation 171-185 

Dental  treatment,  need  of,  reported  by  Michigan  wage-earning  women 98 

Diagram  of  nativity  and  parentage  by  percentages  and  occupation  of  8,358  Michi- 
gan  wage-earning  women    •  64 

Doctors'    vs.    Dentists'    charges,   comparison    of,    wage-earning    women    at    home 

and    adrift * . 97 

Earnings,   for  specific   week 70 

Employes'  figures  and  statements,  adequacy  of 14-15 

Employers'    returns,    wage    recapitulation    of 152 

Employers,    wage    figures,    supplied    by 139-153 

Expenditures,   weekly,  of  wage-earning  Avomeii j 93-101 

Factory  reform,   necessity  of 12-13 

Family   expenses,   wage-earning  women    sharing   in 83-84 


492 


INDEX. 


Page 
Federal  Government  report  of  investigation   of  women  and  child  wage-earners  in 

the  United   States,   condensation   of 318-328 

Fines,    discussion    of 75-76 

Fixing  the  status  of  women  wage-earners 9 

Heart    interest    stories    told    to    Commission's    investigators    by    Michigan    wage- 
earning    women     471-481 

High   and   low   paid   occupations   investigated 31-32 

Hosiery  and  knit  goods  industry,  investigation  of 375-379 

Impediments,   economic,   discussion   of 17 

Inefficiency  of  wage-earning  women,  duty  of  employers  and  society  toward 18-19 

Investments    and    savings -        109 

Kelley,  Florence,  minimum  wage  legislation  for  women,  discussion  of 337-343 

Laundry,    cost    of 95 

Laundrymen's  Association,  meeting  of  Commission  with,  at  Bay  City 290-296 

Laundries,    investigation    of 3SO-386 

Length    of    service    in    present    occupation 

Living  at  home  and  "adrift",  definition  of  term 

Living   wage,    custom    and    a '. 10-11 

Lost  time,  length  of,  causes  of 79 

Married  women  working,  reasons  for,  discussion  of 68 

Michigan   Commission   of  Inquiry,   conclusions  and   recommendations   of 22-24 

Michigan  wage-earning  women,  age  at  which  they  began  to  work,  marital  relations 

of     65 

Minimum  wage  law,  application  of 21 

Minimum  wage  laws,   states   having,   names  of 168 

Minimum  wage,  legal,  not  a  uniform  amount 

Minimum  wage  legislation,  constitutionality  of 22 

Minimum   wage  legislation,   court  decisions   on   constitutionality   of .' 171-185 

Minimum    wage    legislation,    drastic,    objections    to 14"0-141 

Minimum  wage  legislation,  need  of 20 

Minimum  wage,  not  specified 140 

Minimum   wage   legislation   to   date 167-170 

Miscellaneous    information     482-484 

Nativity  and  parentage  of  Michigan   wage-earning  women 59 

Necessary   wage,   what  wage-earning  women    consider 111-112 

Number  in  families  of  wage-earning  women  living  at  home 91 

Occupations,   injurious   to   health,    reported   by   wage-earning   women 118-119 

Opportunities  for  advancement,  opinions  on,   by  wage-earning  women 106-107 

Organized  labor,  official  opinion  of,  on  the  minimum  wage 297-304 

Overall  industry,  investigation  of 387-389 

Overtime,    reported    by    Michigan    wage-earning    women 76-78 

Paper   and   cigar   box   industries,    investigation   of 390-393 

Parasitic  industries,  applying  the  minimum  wage  law  to 

Parentage  and  nativity  of  8,358  Michigan  wage-earning  women  interrogated 59 

Parts     7-185 

I. — Report   of    the   Michigan    Minimum    Wage    Commission    on    the    advisa- 
bility   of    establishing    a    minimum    wage    for    Michigan    wage-earning 

women     7-24 

II. — Tentative  minimum  wage  bill 25-30 

III. — Secretary's   report   on   information   supplied    by    8,512    Michigan    women 

wage-earners    

IV. — Wage   figures   supplied    by   employers 139-153 

V.— -Investigation  of  pay  rolls 154-157 

VI. — Figures  of  the  cost  of  living  supplied  by  women's  clubs 158-166 

VII. — Minimum   wage  legislation   to   date 167-170 

VIII. — Court  decisions  on  minimum  wage  legislation 171-185 

Pay  rolls,  investigation  of 154-157 

Pay,  unequal  for  equal  work 

Pleasures,    many    spend    nothing   on 95 

Public     hearings 229-296 

Detroit 229-247 

Grand    Rapids    248-279 

Saginaw     280-289 

Bay  City   (Laundrymen's  Association) 290-296 

Reading  matter,  little  expended  for 100 

Report  of  the  Commission  of  Inquiry  on  the  advisability  of  establishing  a  minimum 

wage    for    Michigan    wage-earning    women 7-24 

Rest  rooms,  lunch  rooms  and  emergency  rooms,   provided  for  wage-earning  women  120 

Room  and  board,  cost  of,  women  wage-earners  at  home  and  adrift 93 

Rooming   conditions,   problem   of,    confronting   the   women    "adrift" 460-470 

Savings  and  investments,  reported  by  wage-earning  women 109 

Secretary's  report  of  information  supplied  by  8,512  Michigan  wage-earning  women  31-138 

Seed  packing  industry,   investigation   of 394-396 

Shifting  of  occupations,   discussion  of 74 

Sources    of    information 7-8 


INDEX. 


493 


Sources   of    information,    adequacy    of. 
Store  conditions,  investigation  of 


Telephone    work,    effect    of 

Telephone  exchanges,  working  conditions  in,  investigation  of 

Tentative   hill    for    the   creation   of  a   Michigan    Minimum    Wage    Commission 

Tohaeco  industry,  smoking  and  chewing,  investigation  of 

and    welfare    work 

Transmittal  of  Report  of  Commission  to  Governor  Ferris 


Vacations,    manner   in   which    Michigan    wage-earning   women    spend    their. 

Vocational    education,    need    of 

Vocational  training,  remedy  for  industrial  inefficiency 

Wage-earning  women,  inefficiency  of,  duty  of  employers  and  society  toward. 

and   ages.    8.35s   wage-earning  women   interrogated 

Wa-es.     average,     misleading 

Wages,   comparison  with  experience 

Wages   not   uniform 

Wages,    occupation   and   location , 

a   paid,   as   shown   by   figures   supplied   by   employers 

Woman  "adrift"  earns  higher  wage 

Women's  garment  industries,   investigation   of 

Women    wage-earners,    assisting    others 

Working    conditions,    upper    peninsula,    investigation    of 

Working  conditions,   upper  part  of   lower  peninsula,   investigation   of.... 

Yearly    earnings     


Page 

9,10 
397-406 

119 

407-421 

25-30 

430-434 

117 

7-24 

114-115 

344-357 

19 

18-19 

32-33 

93 

44 

11-12 

122 

82-83 

82-83 

435-450 

84-85 

456-459 

451-455 

106 


INDEX  TO  TABLES. 

Tables. 

No.     1. — Employers'    figures   of   number   employed   and   wages   paid    per   week.. 

Xo.  2. — Pay  rolls  showing  number  employed  within  the  year  in  seven  estab- 
lishments, average  number  employed  daily,  and  wages  paid 

Xo.  o. — Employes'  figures  as  to  wages  received  when  working  a  full  week, 
number  living  at  home  and  adrift,  ages  of  the  workers,  and  marital 
relations  

Xo.     4. — Comparison  of  employer,  employe  and  pay  roll  figures  as  to  wages.... 

Xo.  5. — The  weekly  wages  r>7  women's  clubs  and  5,078  wage-earning  women 
consider  necessary  in  order  to  live  decently 

Xo.  6. — Table  by  percentages  of  the  weekly  wages  57  women's  clubs  and  5,673 
wage-earning  women  consider  necessary  in  order  to  live  decently.  .  .  . 

Xo.  7.— Weekly  wages  by  ages  and  occupation  of  8,358  Michigan  wage-earning 
women  for  a  full  week 

Xo.  7V2 — Recapitulation  of  .occupations  and  ages  o'f  8,358  Michigan  wage- 
earning  women  

Xo.     8. — Comparison  of  wages  with  length  of  service  in  present  occupation.... 

Xo.  9. — Xativity  and  parentage  of  8,358  Michigan  wage-earning  women  by 
occupation  

Diagram  showing  nativity  and  parentage  by  percentages  and  occupation  of 
S.;-5."ix  Michigan  women  wage-earners 

Xo.  10. — Nativity  and  age  at  which  8.358  Michigan  wage-earning  women  began 
to  earn  their  own  living,  with  present  marital  relations 

Xo.  11. — Conjugal  status  by  occupation  of  728  married,  widowed,  separated 
or  divorced  wage-earning  women 

Xo.  12. — Weekly  wages  of  7. '.»!«;  Michigan  wage-earning  women  for  the  week 
immediately  preceding  the  one  in  Which  they  were  interrogated, 
as  reported  by  themselves 

Xo.  13. — Length  of  service  of  8,355  Michigan  wage-earning  women  in  present 
occupation  

Xo.  14. — Xumber  of  occupations  and  length  of  time  in  which  4,484  Michigan 
wage-earning  women  have  been  employed,  exclusive  of  present 
occupation  

Xo.  15. — Xumber  of  8,358  Michigan  wage-earning  women  by  occupation  who 
were  fined  by  their  employers  for  defective  work,  tardiness  and  other 
causes  

Xo.  16. — Xumber  of  8,358  Michigan  wage-earning  women  by  occupation  who 
worked  overtime,  as  reported  to  the  Commission's  investigators.... 

Xo.  17. — Number  of  weeks  lost  by  5,249  Michigan  wage-earning  women  who  were 
employed  in  the  same  occupation  the  full  year 

Xo.  18. — Xumber  of  weeks  lost  by  <;,r>47  Michigan  wage-earning  women  this  past 
year,  out  of  8,358  interrogated 

No.   19.— Cause  of  lost  time  of  7,491  Michigan  wage-earning  women  by  occupation 

No.  20. — Age,  experience  and  earnings,  by  occupation  of  8,358  Michigan  wage- 
earning  women  living  at  home  and  adrift 

Xo.  21. — Number  interrogated  and  percentage  of  Michigan  wage-earning  women 
at  home  and  adrift,  number  and  percentage  of  those  paying  board, 
number  and  percentage  of  those  assisting  to  support  others,  and 
number  and  percentage  of  those  helped  by  relatives 

Xo.  22.— Xumber  living  at  home  who  contribute  or  do  not  contribute  toward  the 
support  of  the  family 


Page 
13 

14 


15 
16 

16 

17 

34-41 

42-43 

44-58 

60-63 
64 

66-67 
69 

71 
73 

74-75 

76 

78 
SO 

81 
82 

86 

87 
88 


494  INDEX. 

Page 

No.  23. — How   2.126   Michigan   wage-earning   women    "adrift"    are   housed 90 

No.  24. — Sizes  of  the  families  of  5,884  Michigan  wage-earning  women  who  live 

at   home    92 

No.  25. — How  6,232  Michigan  wage-earning  women  living  at  home  spent  then- 
earnings  the  past  year 102-103 

No.  26. — How  2,126  Michigan  wage-earning  women  "adrift"  spent  their  earn- 
ings the  past  year  104-105 

No.  27. — Yearly  earnings,'  by  occupation,  of  6,566  Michigan  wage-earning 
women  as  reported  by  them  to  the  Commission's  investigators  and 
number  reporting  opportunities  for  advancement 

No.  28. — Number  of  Michigan  wage-earning  women  reporting  savings  and  in- 
vestments the  past  year 

No.  29. — The  weekly  wages  5,673  Michigan  wage-earning  women  consider  nec- 
essary in  order  to  live  respectably  in  their  localities 

No.  30. — How  5,007  Michigan  wage-earning  women  spent  their  vacations......  116 

No.  31. — Conditions  of  toilet  facilities  reported  by  8,283  Michigan  wage-earning 
women  employed  in  503  establishments  ;  number  reporting  social  sec- 
retary ;  number  reporting  a  woman  in  charge  of  their  department ; 
number  establishments  providing  rest,  lunch  and  emergency  rooms 
and  number  reporting  employment  injurious  to  health 

No.  32. — Wages  by  occupations  of  8,424  Michigan  wage-earning  women  em- 
ployed in  30  localities  and  535  establishments  as  reported  by  them- 
selves    123-127 

No.  33. — Wages  by  seven  classifications  of  8,424  Michigan  wage-earning  women 
employed  in  30  localities  and  in  535  establishments,  as  reported  by 
themselves  128-129 

No.  A.  to  G. — Comparison  by  percentages  between  different  cities  of  the  pay  of 

interrogated   wage-earning  women   in   the   same   occupations 129-lc 

A.— Candy    129 

B.— Corsets 130 

C. — Hosiery  and  knit  goods 

D. — Laundries     

E. — Paper  and  cigar  boxes 

F.— Stores     132 

G. — Telephone    exchange 

No.  34. — Wages  paid  in  159  localities  in  Michigan  to  50,230  wage-earning  women 

working  in  1,348  establishments,  as  shown  by  returns  from  employers         142-14y 

No.  35. — What  1,348  establishments  in  Michigan  are  paying  50,230  wage-earn- 
ing women  following  197  occupations,  as  shown  by  returns  from 
employers  .  .  .  . 146-151 

No.  36. — Employers'  methods  of  employment  by  number  and  percentage,  of 
50,622  wage-earning  women  

Diagram   showing  wages   paid   50,230   Michigan   women   wage-earners   as   shown 
by   figures  supplied   by   1,348   establishments 

No.  37. — Length  of  service  of  2,569  Michigan  wage-earning  women  employed  in 
seven  establishments  in  one  year,  and  averaging  418  women  employed 
each  day,  as  shown  by  the  pay  rolls 155 

No.  38. — Length  of  service  of  2,569  employes  in  seven  establishments  as  shown 
by  their  pay  rolls 

No.  39. — Total  and  average  pay  of  2,569  Michigan  wage-earning  women,  and 
hours  of  labor  in  seven  Michigan  establishments  as  shown  by  pay 
rolls  for  an  entire  year 

No.  40. — Average  weekly  earnings  of  992  Michigan  wage-earning  women  as 
shown  by  seven  annual  pay  rolls 

No.  41. — Weekly  wages  57  women's  clubs  in  Michigan  consider  necessary  in 
order  that  a  wage-earning  woman  may  maintain  her  health  at  this 
time  in  their  locality,  and  the  probable  manner  of  its  expenditure.  . .  .  162-163 

No.  42. — Opinions  of  eighteen  members  of  the  Twentieth  Century  Club  of  Albion 
as  to  amount  at  which  a  minimum  wage  should  be  fixed  and  its  wise 
expenditure  

No.  43. — Statistical  information  furnished  by  women's  clubs  in  twelve  localities 
of  154  women  wage-earners 

No.  44. — Number  and  per  cent  of  women  wage-earners  interviewed  in  seven 
large  cities  who  were  found  to  be  living  at  home  and  number  and  per 
cent  who  were  without  homes  and  entirely  dependent  upon  themselves 
together  with  number  interviewed  from  whom  information  was  ob- 
tained concerning  age,  experience,  and  earnings 

No.  45. — Number  and  per  cent  of  female  wage-earners  in  department  and  other 
retail  stores,  factories,  etc.,  living  at  home  who  did  or  did  not  con- 
tribute to  the  family  fund  with  amount  paid  to  family  as  board  or 
contributions  

No.  46. — Number  of  women  wage-earners  in  seven  cities  keeping  house,  living 
with  private  families,  in  boarding  or  lodging  houses,  or  in  "organized 
boarding  houses,"  with  average  weekly  earnings  and  cost  ot  living 
(food,  shelter,  heat,  light  and  laundry) 

No.  47. — Summary  of  candy  industry  tabulations 

No.  48.— Summary  of  the  core  industry  tabulations 

No.  49. — Summary   of   the   corset   industry    tabulations 

No.  50. — Summary  of  the  hosiery  and  knit  goods  industry   tabulations 

No.  51. — Summary    of    the    laundry    industry    tabulations 

No.  52. — Summary   of   the   overall    industry    tabulations 

No.  53. — Summary  of  the  paper  and  cigar  box  industries  tabulations 

No.  54. — Summary  of  the  seed  industry  tabulations 

No.  55. — Summary    of   the   store    tabulations.  . 

No.  56. — Tabulation  of  new  telephone  girls 


INDEX.  495 

Page 

No.  57. — Detroit   telephone  operators'   salary   schedule 413 

\(>.  58.- — Detroit  telephone  supervisors'   schedule 419 

No.  f>9. — Summary   of   telephone   exchange   investigation 

No.  00. — Summary  of  the  cigar  industry  tabulations 430 

No.   01. — Summary  of  the  tobacco  industry  tabulations 

No.   02. — Summary  of  the  women's  wash  garments  investigations 441 

No.  63. — Summary  of  the  silk  garment  industry  tabulations 

"4. — Summary   of   petticoat   industry    tabulations 448 

No.  65. — Summary  of  the  muslin  underwear  and  waist  industry  tabulations....  450 
No.  66. — Summary  of  economic  conditions  in  the  upper  part  of  the  lower  pen- 
insula       455 

No.  67. — Number  interrogated  in   the  upper  peninsula,   number  living  at  home 

and  adrift,  by  occupation   458 

No.  08. — Average  weekly  wages  and  expenditures  of  upper  peninsula  wage-earn- 
ing women  interrogated 458 

No.  09. — Weekly  wages  of  those  interrogated  in  the  upper  peninsula 458 

No.  70. — Nativity,  parentage  and  marital  relations  of  154  women  wage-earners 

interrogated  in  the  upper  peninsula 459 


INDEX   TO   NAMES. 

Page 
Acme  White  Lead  and  Color  Works  ..........................................  316. 

American    Wire   Fabric    Company  ............................................  316 

Banner   Laundering  Company    ....................  .,  .........................  312 

Barkey,    J.    A  .........................................................  '  .....        293,  294 

Baxter,    II.   F  ..............................................................        276,  277 

Beadle,    C.    S.,    Commissioner,    196-198,  208,  212,  214,  215,  217,  218,  221,  222,  225,  226,  231,  239. 

242,  253,  255,  259-262,  264,    268,  275,  277,  280-283,  285,  314,  315 
Bean,   R.  R  ................................................................         252-255 

Belding   Brothers   and   Company  .............................................  310 

Branch    Manufacturing    Company  .......  :  .....  ,  ...................  ...........  316 

Brooks,    S.    O  ..............................................................  240 

Buck,    Frederick    ..............................................  285  288 

Bunting,    Albert    A.  ...  .....................................................         232-234 

Butcher   Folding   Crate   Company  ............................................  312 

Cadillac   Printing   Company  ................................  316 

Campau,    Francis    D  .......................................................  266-271,  279 

Carlton,    Frank    T  ......................................................  190-203,  206-208 

Cheboygan    Paper    Company  .............................................  316 

Chevrolet    Motor    Company    ................................................      .  309 

Chicago   Hosiery  Company    ..................................  317 

Chidsey,    C.    A  .......................................................  [  ;  .  .  .  291,  294,  295 

Clements,  Carl  A  ...........................................  262  263 

Clements,    E.    A  ...........................................  .........  .'.'.'.'.'.'.*.        264-266 

Cohen,     1  .................................................  234-236,  238,  240,  243,  244,  246 

Collins,    Mr  ................................................................  236 

Cornelius,    L.    A  ........................................................  263  264  279 

Crown  Hat  Manufacturing  Company  ................................  .........  '  316 

Detroit   Princess   Manufacturing   Company  ............  243  306 

Dow,     C.     S  ...........................................  204,  206,  212,  215,  217,  220,  222-226 

Cowrie,     G.     W  ....................................  200,  205,  207-212,  214.  216,  222,  224,  226 

Dunford,    C.    S  .........................................  19G,  200-208,  216,  217,  222,224-226 

Evans,    Charles   A  .........................................................  281,  283,  284 

Fasoldt,    Charles      ...........  .........................................  259,  260,  273-276 

Ferris,    William    H.  ..  28^ 

Field,  L.  H.  Company  .............. 

Fitch,  wiliiam  E..  .  .  .  .........................  .....!.!.!.'.!!  I!  .!/!'.  I  !!  7!  !!!     295,  296 


n  Company  ..........  .  .........................................        309,  316 

Gilbert,    H.    J  .........................  281  283  288  289 

Gifford,    Weiffenbach    Company  .............  ....  ..'...  307 

^ll.d,as'    W.    1  ....................................................  260,  271,  273,  275,  276 

Golden,   Mr  .....................................  246 

Good    Health    Publishing    Company  .......  316 

Grand  Rapids  Malleable  Works.  ,  .  .  ........................  307,  308 

orenell,  Judson,  Commissioner,  190,  192,  197,  198,  200-202.  207.  208,  215,  216,  219,  222.  225,  226, 
229,  240,  244,  246,  248,  249,  251.  253-200.  262.  263,  205,  20S.  209.  272-275  277- 
285,  288,  289,  293,  296,  313-316,  341. 

Flamberger,    Mr  ......  944 

Msinson,    Mr  ............. 

Hargreaves,    George    .........  <>30  °31 

Ilargreaves    Manufacturing    Company" 

Haven  rich,  Mr  .........  .  .....  047 

Henderson-Ames    Company    ....."  308 

Ilerpolsheimer  Company    .  qiqqifi 

Hudson,  J.   L.   Company  .......  ..'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.:'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.  '.'.'.'.  305  306 


496  INDEX. 

Page 

Imperial    Automobile    Company 316 

Ingram,   F.   F.    Company 316 

Ingram,    Frederick    F 229,  231,  232,  234-239,  241-244  246 

Ippel,    J.    W 285,  288,  289 

Johnson,  Gerritt  J 249-251,  255-260,  274,  275,  278 

Kalamazoo  Loose  Leaf  Binder  Company 310 

Kelley,     Florence     * 337-343 

Kellogg,   F.   J.   Company 309 

Kellogg,  It.  M.  Company 316 

Limbert,  Charles  P.  Company 4k 308 

Lowell    Manufacturing    Company 311 

Lubetsky,    Benjamin     249-252,  255,  257,  258,  273-275 

Lubetsky,    Max    256,  257,  259,  260,  265,  271,  273,  274,  276,  278,  279 

Mangold,   E.  ,C 258 

Markham,    C.    J.    Company 316 

Mitchell,    Mr 238,  239 

Monroe  Glass  Company 311 

Mosher,   L.   D , 276 

National  Association  of  Garment  Manufacturers 308,309 

Nichols,    Mr 243 

OiConnell,   Thomas    .  291-293 

Otte,    Mr ,. 274 

Oval  Wood  Disti   Company 316 

Pemberton,    C.    L.    and    Son 317 

Petzold,  William   A 231,  232 

Powers,   Joseph   E 282-295 

Princess  Manufacturing  Company 307 

Robertson,   E.   A 280-282,  284,  287,  288 

Robertson,  E.  A.  Company 306 

Ryan,   John   J 293,  295 

Saginaw    Manufacturing    Company 311 

Schust,   Edwin    280-282,  284,  288 

Scott,    Albert   B 316 

Shanahan,   L.   M 260-262,  278,  279 

Sheehan,    Mr 237-238 

Sheffield   Car    Company 311,  312 

Silk,    Fred    L 240-242,  244 

Sommers  Brothers  Match   Company .  316 

Stewart    Laundry    Company 316 

Strong   and   Zinu    Company 307 

Strong,   John    E 271-273 

Sulphite  Pulp  and  Paper  Com  pan  v 317 

Sullivan,  -Mr ". 238 

Swan,   Landon   E 

Tanner,  M.  W 284,  286-288 

Tanner,    M.    W.,    Company 307 

Toole,   Don  P 282 

Twist   Drill   and   Tool   Company 317 

Union    Steel   Company 316 

Valley    Sweets    Company 311 

Walker,  Myron  H.,  Commissioner,  191,  194,  195,  198-201,  203-207,  209-215,  217-221,  223-226,  229, 
232,  235.  236,  238.  240,  244-248,  250-255.  257,  258,  260,  262-266,  270-274, 
276-278,  285,  287-291,  295,  296,  313-316,  341. 

Weisman,    Russell 196,  212-222,  224,  225 

Wesener,    Hugo    G 

Wise,   Mrs 255,  256 

Witters,    Henry    283,  295 

Wright,    Kay   &   Company 

York,   C.   F.    .  245 


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